Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 320)
The Board on Races is a body created to govern the maintenance and operation of race tracks and horse racing. It consists of a Chairman and two members appointed by the President for such terms and compensation as he may determine, and they are removable at his pleasure. The Board is administratively under the Department of the Interior.
The Board on Races has the power to prescribe rules and regulations (subject to the Secretary of Interior's approval), enforce laws related to horse racing, ensure proper construction and sanitary conditions of race tracks, prohibit use of devices or substances that enhance horse speed artificially or harm the horses, supervise race track officials, and perform other duties as prescribed by law or regulation.
Yes, it is unlawful to hold or conduct any horse racing with betting unless duly licensed by the Board on Races. The license specifies the licensee, the place, the track, and the racing days, and it may be suspended or revoked for just cause.
Jockeys, handicappers, starters, weighers, and other officials directly connected with running races must be licensed yearly by the Board on Races. Licenses may be revoked if incompetence or fraudulent behavior is found.
Race tracks or entities holding horse racing events with total betting exceeding fifty thousand pesos per race day must have an automatic electrically operated public indicator system and ticket selling machines that record every ticket purchased on every horse instantly on a prominently displayed bulletin board readable from a distance.
Stewards are officials appointed daily (at least three for each racing day) who supervise races, enforce rules, ensure licensing, decide the winners, apply penalties, and oversee the conduct of races. They may also act as finish judges and rely on photo-finish technology for close races.
The Committee of Handicappers, consisting of at least three members, keeps detailed records of horses and owners, prepares race programs by grouping and handicapping horses to equalize winning chances based on their past performance and condition according to Board rules.
Jockeys registered for the day's races must be quartered in an assigned enclosure separate from the public, prohibited from communicating with unauthorized persons, and only allowed to leave the enclosure when riding, remaining until after their last race.
No, racing clubs, race tracks, their officials (including stewards, judges, handicappers, jockeys, starters), and members and officials of the Board on Races are prohibited from participating directly or indirectly in betting at their own races.
Race tracks must pay an annual fee of P2,000, plus a city or municipal license fee of P600 per day of racing and a national tax of P300 per day. Jockeys, handicappers, and starters pay an annual license fee of P12 each. Horse owners pay P1 per horse per race, collected and remitted by the racing entity to the local government. Local councils may impose higher fees with Presidential approval.