BOY MARZO (BM BULALAYAW)

                                               Autobiography

Boy Marzo used to buy fighting cocks from different sources in Bacolod and Ilo-ilo and fight them in hackfights as well as derbies. That was in the early 70’s when Boy was an Airline Pilot  for PAL and later as flight instructor at Phil-Air Flying School where he later became the Chief Pilot and Chief Flight Instructor at age 28.  During that time, Commercial Pilots in the country was still a rarity so that some Airforce Pilots were getting out of the service to join either PAL,Air Manila or Filipinas Airways, the three major Airlines at that time or the General Aviation sector basically for economic reasons. Pilots then could easily get a double job so, Boy also trained as Helicopter Pilot at the Aerospatialle

Helicopter Flight Training Center in Lyon, France where he specifically trained on the Allouette-11 type of helicopter which was purchased then by Radiowealth Inc., owned by DMG group of Companies, who arranged for his helicopter flight training. After his helicopter flight training, he work as part time helicopter  pilot of then DMG Chairman, Domingo M. Guevarra  during weekends and at the same time keeping his job as Chief Pilot and Flight Instructor at Phil-Air Flying School. He left flight teaching when he joined the Ministry of Public Highways as Executive Pilot in ’79. During that time, almost all government departments had their own private planes. The Miniatry of Public Works acquired a Cessna 421 Executive plane and Boy was sent by the government, thru the Ministry of Public Works to undergo equipment training at the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kansas. He later flew the newly acquired aircraft from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, USA to Manila.  Boy went on to work as an Executive Pilot for the Ministry of Public Works and his immediate boss was Aber Canlas, the Deputy Minister of MPH at that time. Aber Canlas then was incharge of all special projects by then First Lady Imelda Marcos including the contruction of the Sto.Nino shrine in Leyte and the Peoples Park in Sarat, Ilocos Norte. On several occasions, Boy also flew Malacanang missions at that time. As a Pilot of MPH, Boy on several occasions had as passengers some Contractor’s close to Aber Canlas. He observed that these people were well off and that they were riding in flashy cars like Mercedes Benz and Range Rovers. It was these things and his close relationship to Aber Canlas that inspired him to also try his luck in business. He then left flying for good in 1983 and started his business first as a supplier of heavy equipment spare parts and dredger supplies and spare parts with the help of his former boss Aber Canlas. His first break came when his former boss interceded in his behalf and endorsed him to the Director of Equipment then to help him get some business with them. It was not long after when Boy got the Exclusive Distributorship of Jardine Nell and Benedicto Steel, manufacturers of Steel wire ropes. As exclusive distributor of these products to the MPH, he cornered all requirements and was awarded large purchase orders without bidding. Aside from these supplies, he was also awarded large amounts of heavy equipment spare parts and his  trading Company was one of the top suppliers of the Ministry of Public Works at that time.

However, not everything that Boy Marzo has touched, turned into gold. Just  like the leader of Phyrgia,  King Midas,  Boy also encountered several setbacks in his line of business. After the 1986 EDSA revolution, some people started attacking him and questioning his former business deals from the previous government.  Much to the chagrin of Boy and to the delight of the envious characters harassing him, he finally chose to let go--- leave everything in spite of the fact that he’s on top of the chamber of success.  Instead of counterattacking his detractors, Boy’s mentality became evident--- that prudence is the better part of valor. So he left the business world for a while and decided to pursue and focus on his childhood love--- cockfighting.

After relaxing for almost three years, Boy put up his own Construction Company in 1989 which was initially classified as “small”until  its contractors license was upgraded to “AAA” in 2001.  Boy went back to the Department of Public Works and Highways, this time no longer as a supplier of heavy equipment spare parts, but as a Contractor.  Boy’s construction company, Sui Generis Construction Corp is one of the few (less than 20) Philippine based Company’s who possess an Overseas Contractors License issued by the Phil. Overseas Contractors Board. His construction business was not as taxing as his former trading business and   this time Boy had more time to spare for his love, cockfighting.

In what turned out to be a blessing in disguise, and the love of Boy for gamefowl, he was able to acquire a half a hectare of open lot in front of his residence in Paranaque and used the place for the training and conditioning of the battle fowl he got. He maximized the space and built a sparring pit  (gradas) where cockfights were held every Sunday. Problem however, he was not able to get a permit to conduct cockfighting on his property since the lot was inside a  subdivision. So the inevitable came, his place was raided and his regular hack fights on weekends came to a stop. That was 1999-2000 and consequently, Boy toyed with the idea of having his own game farm but had to let that scheme take a side turn for he first eyed the World Slasher Cup.

The fire that kept blazing in Boy was what prompted him to join his first World Slasher Cup Derby in 2000. Being a virtual unknown and amidst the conglomeration of renowned cockers locally and from abroad, Boy managed to score an impressive six wins and two losses record. But in spite of the 75% winning percentage he achieved as a rookie, he almost called it quits because of an uneventful fight in one of his chickens.

All the roosters that he fought were basically from unknown sources, ‘chop suey’ lines, if you may call it. But, Boy was practically unscathed after his first five fights with three left to go. His sixth fight was up against a formidable rooster from Congressman James Chiongbian. During the breathtaking fight, it was such a competitive battle that really went down the wire where Boy’s rooster had a clear cut advantage over its opponent. Conversely, to the surprise of many, the gods of luck have smiled at the late congressman’s rooster for out of the blue, Boy’s rooster  which suffered only a slight injury on first buckle turned its tail and ran away. He won the seventh fight that just about gave him a 6 win 1 loss record with one more fight left. The last fight was similar to the sixth where Boy’s chicken once again scuttled away despite having a huge advantage over its adversary. Boy admitted that it was so difficult and pride-quenching going down the pit in Araneta Coliseum, knowing that the multitude of aficionados have just witnessed the forgettable display of his two roosters that scampered. So even though he had piled a decent record on his initial WSC competition, the shame and humiliation caused him to hang up his gloves in cockfighting. He parted ways with his handlers and trainers, literally left the cockfighting circle, and disposed the remaining roosters in his possession, all 200 of them or so. It was after seven long excruciating months of pondering and reflection that he decided to get some broodfowl from reputable sources and start all over again. Breeding his own feathered gladiators  he realized, should be prioritized.

That became the turning point of his Cockfighting career.  He then changed manpower that would take care of his new breed of  gamebirds. He acquired a virgin forest and he develop it into his dream farm in Nagcarlan, Laguna and went on from there. Improvement of the farm is still ongoing.

He also personally went to the farms of the other known breeders and handpicked the broodmaterials he liked He got some good broodfowl from Bruce Barnett and the seriousness in breeding has gotten over him. He likewise bred battle crosses to perpetuate the good bloodlines and also did some inbreeding to maintain his ‘pure’ lines.           

The bloodlines Boy he has carried on are the BM Bulalayaw Sweater- Gilmore  since it was him who has propagated this line, plus the Roundheads he got from O.W. Lanier. He has a new strain, a Bobby Fairchild Grey also from Sonny Lagon, who got it from Mayor Jesry Palmares. Boy is currently blending it well with his Sweater - Gilmore line.

Boy chose the Sweater strain because these creatures are intelligent fighters. The only chink in their shining armor is that they are poor in the ground battle. That’s why he infuses the Gilmore Hatch blood to give the necessary finishing kick. The body conformation of the Sweaters also blends better with the Gilmore Hatch since the Gilmore is a heavy boned strain. The Sweater - Gilmore crosses are not apprehensive to bang with their opponent, and that’s what Boy really wants his roosters to possess. He does not like a rooster that does not want to go toe to toe with its adversary. He’d rather have a rooster that’s willing to mix it up and still comes out a winner because of wit and power.

Speaking of the name both his farm and entry, he named it BM BULALAYAW that stands for his initial, Boy Marzo, and BULALAYAW, meaning the Ilocano  term for rainbow. As a budding child, Boy has been fascinated by the multi-colored beauty in the sky. At the back of their ancestral home in the province of San Juan, La Union, where the spectacle of rice field can be seen and the normal set-up of the rural houses in that part of the region, the young Boy almost always witnessed the manifestation in the heavens after it rains. The view just mesmerized Boy to just stare at it and literally forget all things that he had to do. That vision has not left his intellect as he eventually used that name in his entries in something that likewise captivates his fancy, cockfighting, to remind him of the picturesque display of God’s creation.

The area of the farm is 11 hectares but as far, Boy has only developed 4 hectares. He had to cut 800 full-grown coconut trees for him to landscape the farm. Then, he planted fruit bearing trees like durian and constructed a man-made fish pond for his people to use. He has 8 farm hands where each one has a specific job assignment to do so as not to overlap one’s designated task. One is in charge of the breeding; another is on the ranging of the flock; one to feed the corded roosters; and one for handling. Boy goes to the farm weekly to make sure that everything is well in place and everyone’s doing his job accordingly. His farm includes 900 teepees and has a 2,000 square meter pre-range area as well. His logical reason after the brooder, the chicks are placed there in the pre-range to condition them for the next step which is the ranging within 2 ½ - 3 months after hatching and completion of the vaccination. Luckily, since he formed his farm there, there has been no record of theft or stolen chicken in his yard.

After he has gotten hold of the good material and the farm in  Laguna, Boy once again joined the World Slasher Cup in 2004 but his lucky break came in 2005 when he practically brought home the grand prize. He mortified his curiosity by inhibiting himself from joining the big time derbies just to age his breed of chickens although he has already tested the others through hack fights and some stag derbies.

So the day came in January 2005 when he used his brood cock and the seven sons for the WSC. He won in spite amassing a total score of 6 ½ points out of a possible 8. By far, according to Boy, it was the toughest and biggest delegation with 127 who joined with the competitive entries from the formidable Americans abroad and the fearsome cockers and breeders locally grouping together in this twice a year cocking spectacle. In short, Boy’s patience, hard work, and determination paid off. At the end of the WSC I finals, his BM Bulalayaw entry stood head and shoulders above the rest of the fearsome field. It really would have been a convincing 7 wins had it not for a controversial call from the pit referee where Boy’s prized fighter was able to peck in the air thrice before succumbing. His formidable opponent, Thunderbird Firefly 12 of Joe Wallcot/Larry Whitehead of USA financed by Jun Santiago, was able to salvage the draw as both chickens lay sprawling on the pit as the verdict was handed down. However, instead of complaining and protesting, Boy thought that everything said and done, the fight was over and there was no use crying over spilled milk. He shrugged it off and said just charged it to experience.

Boy’s most memorable experience so far happened in 2005 in which he almost made history by winning the WSC I and almost romping away the Candelaria Derby in Iloilo  on February 2, two weeks after winning the World Slasher Cup.. In that prestigious derby in the Visayas, he came short and settled for 2^nd place. He likewise could have gotten the Stagfighter of the year in the Pinoy Cockers Association of the Philippines (PCAP) had it not been by a mere half point which the Bacolor group had. All the momentous wins came because of what Boy foresaw in 2001. In other words, the winnings he achieved were all part of the hard work and perseverance he conceptualized four years before 2005.

Boy for a while partnered with his Japanese friend who owns a sabong website which he conceptualized for the sake not only of our fellow cockers who could be given information, education, and a chat room for communication, but to our overseas Filipino workers and enthusiast who have been isolated in the different parts of the world just to earn a decent amount to support their families here in the country.  Boy himself, loves to venture into something others have dared not try. At the same time, he has loved cockfighting that much so he has tried to tickle his extreme imagination and think of an innovation that he and the rest of the cockfighting faithful Filipinos and foreigners all over the world will enjoy.  His imaginative ingenuity did come up with a brilliant plan and conceptualized sabong live via the internet. Yes, there are numerous gamefowl shows and magazines enthusiasts enjoy, but giving our kababayans this technology where they can simply watch the fights in the comforts of their computers in their respective places abroad is just a pioneering venture and a brilliant move to let these people enjoy the sport all the more. This is also an activity, Boy exclaims, that would hinder the tremendous boredom our fellow Filipinos normally experience. However, after almost a year of test webcasting, his Japanese partner suspended their live webcast for economic reasons. Boy averred that unless they do sabong online gaming while showing sabong live webcast, the sustainability of such venture is hard to maintain, considering the high cost of maintaining the server which was based in Tokyo. Boy still believe that someday, he might just have the resources to go and venture in sabong on-line gaming. So, sabong live webcast , like the government proposed cha-cha is indeed not over yet as far as he is concerned but only “archived” and can be revived at the right time.

Cockfighting, he says, has been in the hearts and minds of our forefathers and this has been passed on up to the present time. This time, his brainchild is here to stay and everybody welcomes his idea  with open arms especially our Kababayans all over the world who enjoyed watching sabong live for a while thru the internet. They keep sending him emails asking when sabong online will again resume. This is the reason why  Boy Marzo is developing his own website apart from his bmbulalayaw.com website which is called sabongsabong.com and eventually revive sabong live webcast once again thru the internet, hopefully,this time with on-line gaming system to sustain such operation.