PH22 Casador in Philippine Cockpits: Matchmaker or Bet Caller?
Online e-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022, so the casador works only in licensed cockpits: the casador is the matchmaker who pairs fighting cocks, while the kristo calls the bets and the sentensyador rules on the fight.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| PH22 E-Sabong Suspension | Online e-sabong was suspended nationwide in 2022: a spoken order on 3 May 2022, then Executive Order No. 9 of 28 December 2022, which keeps all e-sabong operations suspended while licensed cockpit fights stay lawful. |
| PH22 Pintakasi in Sabong | Online e-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022, and the pintakasi is a live-cockpit format: a festive day of fights with on-the-spot matches, different from an ordinary Sunday card and from a registered derby. |
| PH22 Sabungero | Online e-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022, but the sabungero lives on in the licensed cockpit: a sabungero is a cockfighting enthusiast, and the cockpit assigns the casador, kristo, sentensyador and mananari their own jobs. |
Since 2022 e-sabong has been suspended nationwide, which is why a casador works only in physical, licensed cockpits. A spoken order on 3 May 2022, delivered in a taped broadcast, began it. Executive Order No. 9 of 28 December 2022 then formally kept e-sabong operations suspended.
The cockpit arena licensing rules set the stage for the role. This page explains the casador, then sets it beside the kristo and the sentensyador, which people often confuse.
What a casador does in the cockpit
A casador is the matchmaker. The job is to pair two cocks that suit each other in size and condition.
A good match is the product of several small checks, listed here in the order they happen.
- Look at the weight of each bird.
- Compare the build and condition of the two.
- Agree the pairing with both owners.
- Hand the matched pair to the pit for the fight.
PD 449 does not define the casador in Section 4. The role is a cockpit custom that sits alongside the three roles the decree does define.
Casador compared with kristo and sentensyador
Three jobs sit close together in the pit and are easy to mix up. The table keeps them apart.
| Role | Job | PD 449 term |
|---|---|---|
| Casador | Pairs the cocks | None |
| Kristo | Calls and takes the bets | Bet taker or promoter |
| Sentensyador | Oversees the fight, rules on it | Referee |
The casador acts before the fight, the kristo works the crowd around it, and the sentensyador governs the fight itself. A sabungero in the cockpit may take any of these jobs, but each is a different seat.
You read casador and kristo as one job
The casador pairs birds before a fight. The kristo calls the bets. If a description gives both tasks to one person, it is describing two roles at once.
Where the casador matters most
The matchmaking job is most visible on a festive day, when matches are made on the spot. How a pintakasi is built shows why the casador sets the pace of the card.
| Occasion | Maximum span |
|---|---|
| Local fiesta | 3 days |
| Fair, carnival or exposition | 3 days |
PD 449 allows those festive cards for not more than three days during a local fiesta, in Section 5(d). Inside that window, the casador’s pairings decide how many fights the day can hold.
What the casador’s role is not
The casador has no part in the online format that ended in 2022. Why e-sabong was suspended sets out the dates and the wording of the order, and neither mentions a matchmaker.
- The casador pairs cocks for a licensed fight.
- That fight happens in a licensed cockpit.
- Online matching was never part of the lawful format.
Section 1 of Executive Order No. 9 suspends e-sabong operations nationwide while excluding traditional licensed cockfights. The casador’s work stays inside that exclusion, in the building the decree licenses.
FAQ
What does a casador do?
A casador is the matchmaker of the cockpit. The job is to pair fighting cocks of similar size so the fight is a fair contest.
What is the difference between a casador and a kristo?
The casador makes the match before the fight. The kristo works the crowd, calling and taking the bets from the pit. In PD 449 terms the kristo is the bet taker or promoter.
Does PD 449 define a casador?
No. Section 4 defines the gaffer, the referee and the bet taker or promoter. The casador is a cockpit term outside that list.
Is there a casador in e-sabong?
E-sabong has been suspended nationwide since 2022, and Executive Order No. 9 keeps it suspended. The casador's work belongs to the licensed cockpit.
Related guides
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| PH22 E-Sabong Suspension | e-sabong suspension |
| PH22 Pintakasi in Sabong | pintakasi |
| PH22 Sabungero | sabungero |