This month the Philippines welcomes a new President, President Duterte. Network for Animals has a long history with this new leader, working with him during his time as Mayor of Davao City. Our relationship with President Duterte began in 1998 when our Philippine team member Mel Alipio first met Mayor Detente to discuss the cruelty of Organised Horse Fighting. The photo below shows this positive meeting.
During this new Presidents’ time as Mayor, Duterte made many positive changes. While working as Mayor, Duterte banned all Organized Horse fights in Davao City. Organized Horse Fighting involves a female horse being tied up in a stadium, where crowds pay to come and gamble on male horses fighting over her. Male horses are incited to fight over her and the female is thus raped multiple times over a day. Organised Horse Fighting events can run for days at a time, meaning that horses are subject to prolonged pain and suffering. Horse fighting is not a natural part of these horse lives. This is an organised battle where horses get pain and humans get rich.
The banning of such a cruel blood sport was an amazing accomplishment for NFA and for horses in the Southern Philippines. In return for banning Organized Horse Fighting we at NFA provided free veterinary support for farmers and their horses. Our relationship is a good one and we are happy to see a man who cares about animal welfare as President.
We thank President Duterte for banning Organized Horse Fighting in Davao City all those years ago. We also hope that the President continues his fight against the cruelty and instructs all government agencies to stop all horse fightings in all of the provinces of Mindanao. We believe in President Duterte and look forward to seeing how he will bring about positive change, especially to horses.
To encourage President Duterte to ban Organised Horse Fighting completely, please sign our new petition. Our Philippine team will present the new President with this petition as soon as possible. This is our chance to end this cruel blood sport forever!
