THE Games and Amusements Board (GAB) late last week lauded the efforts made by the breeders, feed millers, and veterinary associations for helping the agency in preparing the health and safety protocols for the gradual resumption of cockfighting and industry data.

GAB Chairman Abraham Khali Mitra, on October 28, personally met and thanked them for the help they have extended to ensure the smooth return of the industry, which has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Although we come from different manufacturing companies, we have one common advocacy-to help the gamefowl industry," said Vicky Tobiano Chu.

Eight-months ago, Mitra tapped different associations, such as the Philippine Veterinary Drug Association (PVDA), Philippine Association of Feed Millers (Pafmi), United Association of Cockpit Owners and Operators of the Philippines (UACOOP), International Federation of Gamefowl Breeders Associations (Figba) Inc., and Tady Palma, among others. This is to help the GAB, the mandated agency to regulate international derby and to issue professional licenses for cockpit personnel in the country, in presenting the safety protocols and new derby format governing the operations of accredited cockpit arenas to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

"We understand that these associations have different interests; thus, we are really grateful to them for heeding our call to work together towards the resumption of cockfighting in the country," said Mitra.

It was recalled that on October 15, the IATF finally allowed the traditional cockfighting to resume in areas under modified general community quarantine, subject to further approval of local chief executives as to whether the operation of the cockpit arenas and derby events can proceed in their respective localities.