IN FULL FLIGHT

It’s common for business executives to repair to somewhere and escape the stresses of the office. Probably the golf course. Or the church. Maybe the art gallery. Or the beach.

But you seldom hear the boss man take refuge in a loft.

In the case of Burlington Industries Philippines general manager Ruddy Tan, the pigeon loft.

High on the rooftop of their office building in Makati, Tan would attend to his pigeons, housed in separate enclosures, whenever he wants a diversion from work.

For the everyday feeding and training duties, Tan has two “loft guys” to do that.

Most of the pigeons are imported live from Europe and United States. And a section is devoted for breeding. Another for breeders. Then two big pens for birds that are training for the North and South races.

Tan heads the family business which has grown from a start-up manufacturer of socks in the 1960s to the iconic brand of today.

Burlington Industries Philippines now makes a complete array of undergarments, motorcycle top-to-bottom apparels through its brands Biofresh, Bally, Knit, Omo, Camp and the fast-rising Dri+.

Like other businesses, Burlington Industries Philippines had its ups and downs through the years, but that particular afternoon, Tan chose to just speak of his favorite hobby: Pigeon-racing.

After all, who likes to hear about the fully automated machines they use? The spreadsheets? The managerial styles?

The hum-drum of economic indicators that influence local manufacturing, and all of business for that matter?

“(Pigeon racing) provides a beautiful distraction for me during tough days in the office,” Tan told the DAILY TRIBUNE.

The hobby didn’t develop overnight, though. And neither it was intentional.

“We happened to attend a wedding one day, and my daughter caught one of the pigeons, you know the ones which the bride and groom let go,” he recalled.

“She brought it home. But I ended up taking care of it, feeding it. I tried to let it loose but it kept coming back and even brought along another.”

It was like the pigeons finally found their home, literally. Quite something for birds known for their natural homing device.

From then it was only a matter of time before he slowly established a loft (a term for pigeon stable) and joined the Philippine Homing Pigeon Association races.

The sixth floor of the building is adorned not just by well-kept pigeon pens but by trophies his loft — aptly named Burlington Loft — has won through the years.

Occupying a prominent place among the accolades was the 2019 South Race Championship Cup. It was a major PHA race from Tacloban to Naga City.

That’s his most memorable win, so far.

On race day, Tan said he brought along spare pigeons “for giveaways.” But it just happened that nobody asked. So, they decided to also enter the birds for the competition.

“That bird ended up winning the race for us,” he beamed.

Winning is hard to come by, according to Tan, because every loft all over the country is doing their researches on how to improve the breeds based on the type of race they will join.

“It’s always trial and error. Sometimes us breeders exchange notes. Easier now that we have the internet. Back then we have to look for research materials to read,” Tan said.

The pigeon racing community has grown big. And loft owners have established close relations.

“It’s the camaraderie among pigeon racers. We encourage one another. We share techniques, know-hows and pigeons. That and the occasional winning that keep you in the game.”

Tan was elected PHA president last year, cementing his involvement in what used to be just a hobby.

As a group, their concern is how to discourage people from capturing the onrushing pigeons during the race by setting up nets along the way.

“The actual netting (or panlalambat in Filipino) we leave to the authorities, but among clubs we prohibit members from engaging or buying netted birds,” Tan said.

“Those who break rules will be banned from all clubs.”

Netted birds, especially those wearing the PHA rings, go for as much as P5,000 in the black market. Of course, imported pigeons, or those with winning pedigree, are worth much more than that.

But it’s not the only reason pigeons fail to finish the race.

Sometimes pigeons, despite their uncanny tracking ability, lose their ways when they veer off path trying to avoid curtains of rains.

“There was one race when birds got lost and reached Taiwan,” Tan said.

“Clubs there would call us to say they had birds wearing our rings. And sometimes Taiwanese lofts lose their pigeons which find their way here.”

Now training these pigeons is the tricky part. But pigeon racers like Tan had separate group of pigeons racing in the northern parts of the country, and another in the southern parts. Hence the separate cages for them.

It takes at least two months for these pigeons to get the physical conditioning they need for the flying.

Pigeons that will be entered in short sprints are different from those for marathon races. That’s where pedigree comes in.

“It’s rare that you have all these qualities, the speed and the long-distance flyers,” said the mechanical engineering graduate.

Champion lines in Europe, according to Tan, are bought by Chinese and Japanese loft owners by millions of dollars.

Soon, Tan said, they are looking at incorporating the use of chips on the pigeons to make the races fully digital.

Down the line, Tan said they also expect pigeon racing to get even bigger. Or at least be known better than what it is today.

Because only a few know of that community of businessmen who looked in the skies to admire how swiftly and efficiently these birds fly back to the urban perches built for them.

“The important thing in a loft is for your pigeons to have a clear view of the horizon. They need to get a clear memory of the skyline,” Tan said.

“But, in the end, the pigeons remember their home as the place where there is food, shelter and where they are taken care of.”

When you think about it, they’re exactly like people. We share the same things that make us go through the day, braving storms and flying against the wind.

On our way home.