‘E-sabong’ may have caused spike in COVID-19 cases in Davao Occidental town

DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines – Offering a diversion and a chance to win some quick cash amid the pandemic, online cockfights, also known as “e-sabong,” continued to draw bettors in Sta. Maria town in Davao Occidental province.

But instead of watching the matches in the safety of their homes, local afficionados still ended up gathering together — all in search of good internet access.

The result: a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in the second-class municipality.

“People come together (to watch the cockfight), then they use only one or two devices depending on the internet access,” said Dr. Doreen Lolette Arciga, a municipal health officer monitoring the spread of the coronavirus.

The e-sabong crowds may have caused the recent clustering of COVID-19 cases in the area, she said.

As of Aug. 22, the town of 57,500 has recorded 703 cases, including 325 active cases and 10 new infections. The local death toll since the start of the pandemic stood at 25.

Traced to town center

According to Arciga, the slow internet connection in Sta. Maria forced gamers to gather around one or two mobile phones, unlike in cities where one could watch the online cockfight at home.

Cases suddenly spiked in May, from zero the previous months, she said. Most of the infections were recorded at the town center where internet access is much better and the gamblers congregate at coin-fed internet shops known as “Pisonets.”

Of the town’s 325 active cases, 104 were traced to the town center.

‘Dalpakan’

Based on the contact tracing conducted, many of those who tested positive admitted going to a “dalpakan” (the local term for the online cockfighting events),” Arciga said.

Aside from gambling activities, recent weddings in the town may have also contributed to the spike in cases, she said.

Unsure whether social distancing and crowd control measures were enforced in these events, Arciga surmised that “health protocols were violated by our constituents.”

The municipal government has since banned all types of gatherings, imposed a liquor ban, and enforced a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. except for essential travel.

Other local governments in Mindanao, including Davao City, earlier allowed online cockfighting to continue despite the lockdown, thinking that it would not contribute to the spread of the virus.

In June 2020, an Inquirer.net report showed that cockfighting derbies were being livestreamed from private farms, with the host selling streaming rights — from P12,500 to P15,000 — to various websites where viewers can place their bets.