Between 2021 and 2022, the Philippines' eSabong, an online cockfight gambling, gained notoriety following the disappearances of 34 cockfight enthusiasts (called sabungeros by locals) and reports of increasing addiction and indebtedness by many, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
These incidents compelled President Rodrigo Duterte to ban eSabong on May 2022, and on December 28 of the same year, President Bongbong Marcos Jr signed Executive Order No 9, formalizing the continued suspension to ensure the state's "paramount obligation to protect public health and morals and to promote public safety and general welfare."
In the House hearing Tuesday, August 6, some congresspersons and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), sought the revival of eSabong to recoup expected losses in revenues from the recent order of Marcos Jr to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
The migrant group, AKO-OFW immediately lashed out at the lower house for seeking to revive eSabong.
In a statement, Advocates and Keepers Organization (AKO-OFW), believes that raising funds "to defray the cost of government programs and projects need not come from sources deemed as dubious."
AKO-OFW Chair Dr Chie Umandap lambasted the efforts to give a second chance to eSabong saying that "while agreeing that the government is duty-bound to raise funds to cover the cost of infrastructure, education and health, among many other government programs, this should not be used to justify revival of eSabong."
"In my humble opinion, there are other ways where we can generate revenue and definitely, legalization of eSabong is not one of them," Umandap stressed.
Citing inside information, the AKO-OFW chair took a swipe at what appears to be a well-funded lobbying operation designed to sway Congress to allow eSabong.
During the budget hearing by the House Committee on Appropriations, PAGCOR Chair Al Tengco hinted the need to raise more funds, alluding to the P6 billion annual revenue that the government has been missing due to the ban on eSabong.
"Definitely, sayang din po yung nawalang income. Well, we have studied it and have few suggestions, and we believe we can enhance the structure or the guidelines (that) were there before. But until a law or an order (from the) president of the Philippines comes out, our hands are tied," Tengco told the committee.
But Umandap finds it rather improper to revive a dubious online betting scheme which has inflicted more insurmountable social damages, even as he insisted that cockfight betting should be limited inside the cockpit arena.
"Ang eSabong ay isang klase ng sugal na pumapasok sa pamamahay ng pamilyang Pilipino. Nakakasama at nakakasira sa lipunan. Ang eSabong ay dapat sa sabungan lang, hindi sa bawat bahay ng ating kababayan."
"Marami na ang nabaon sa pagkakautang dahil dito, maging sa ibang bansa," added Umandap referring to overseas Filipinos who sought help from AKO-OFW so they could go back to the Philippines after ending up as eSabong big losers. - Pinoy Portal Europe Staff / Press Release
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