An Iloilo Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member has pushed for the resumption of the century-old “Pasungay” festival or bullfighting in the southern Iloilo town of San Joaquin.
San Joaquin had been holding the annual Pasungay during the third Saturday of January in time of the town’s fiesta, said Iloilo First District Board Member Marcelo Valentin Serag.
The festival was called off this year due to the animal cruelty claims of some animal welfare groups. “It is almost a year that Pasungay had been called off, and until now we still do not have a clear explanation if it is legal or not,” he said.
Last week, Serag has brought up the matter during the SP’s regular session. “We want to open the issue again to seek help from the concerned agencies to help us bring back Pasungay,” he said.
In his speech, Serag said then-Iloilo provincial veterinarian Silvino Teodosio commented that bullfighting in San Joaquin is not a blood sport but “is more of a wrestling match where each side comprises a bull and his human trainer.”
Section 6 of the Animal Welfare Act states that: “Prohibition on animal fights — it is prohibited to subject animals to fight such as, but not limited to dogfighting, horse fighting, and bullfighting. A person must not a) cause procure, permit, encourage, promote, organize or incite a fight in which an animal is pitted against another animal for whatever purpose or reason; b) advertise promote the intention to conduct such a fight…”.
“Despite the name, Pasungay in San Joaquin is anything but bloodless. It is not a blood sport. The animal involved do not attempt to head-butt nor attempt to use its horn to impale, puncture or piece any part of the body of its opponent,” he said, citing Teodosio.
In line with this, Serag mulls to pass a resolution to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to revisit the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Animal Welfare Act and to “reevaluate its conformity with the spirit of the Act, and if so warrants, to categorically state that Pasungay is not covered by the definition or contemplation of prohibited animal fights for is not bullfighting per se and that is part of culture that will be afforded due respect and allowed to flourish.”
The board member wants the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to declare the practice of Pasungay as “a long-time practice and part of the culture and tradition of San Joaquinhons.”
This for it to “be allowed to flourish in a climate of freedom and responsibility true to the ideals of culture as a human right,” Serag said.
The move to pass a resolution for the NCCA was also encouraged by the Department of Tourism in Western Visayas, as implored by the Sangguniang Bayan of San Joaquin in its resolution number 2019-13.
“The festival should be founded upon a definite declaration of cultural significance for an argument favoring its continuity to succeed,” the DOT 6 said.
Serag is hopeful that Pasungay will be staged again this year to showcase the culture, history, and legacy of San Joaquinhons to local and foreign tourists.PNA
