Senate Committee to Probe Online Gambling Surge
The Senate committee on games and amusement will investigate the rapid growth of online gambling in the Philippines next week. This move aims to address growing concerns about its widespread impact on Filipino communities.
Senator Erwin Tulfo, who heads the panel, announced plans to start hearings on August 4 or 5. “I wanna hear it. Immediately, siguro by next week 6 Monday, Tuesday, I will conduct a hearing on this matter. I9ll call [the] Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) [and] I9ll call the Department of Finance (DOF),” Tulfo told reporters during a press briefing.
Inclusive Dialogue with Stakeholders
Senator Tulfo emphasized the importance of hearing all sides. He plans to invite representatives from Pagcor, the Department of Finance, youth groups, parent organizations, schools, and church groups. “We want to go on a hearing and invite all the stakeholders 6 we want to listen to Pagcor and then sa DOF yung representative ng executive branch and siguro isang youth organization, parent organization, school organization, at church organization para lahat,” he added.
Building a Unified Position Against Online Gambling
The new senator intends to work closely with other panel members to form a strong stance before appealing to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to issue an executive order banning online gambling. “I believe I can convince all the members because Sen. Raffy (Tulfo) himself already filed a bill to ban online gambling. And then some of our colleagues, like Sen. Villanueva, filed one as well. So what I9m saying, my point is let us talk amongst ourselves first and we will inform the Senate and then the president,” Tulfo explained.
He stressed the need for a coordinated approach: “We need an executive order banning online gambling, but we have to recommend it to the President. Before that I will have to talk to the committee: where do we go from here? We should be on the same page.”
Calls for a Ban Grow Louder
Before the end of the 19th Congress, several senators, including Juan Miguel Zubiri, Joel Villanueva, and Risa Hontiveros, urged the government to impose a total ban on online gambling. They cited its harmful effects on many Filipinos, especially young people.
Meanwhile, President Marcos did not mention the issue during his fourth State of the Nation Address. However, the Palace previously revealed that the President “has been following the situation” concerning Filipinos struggling with online gambling addiction.
For more news and updates on online gambling, visit Filipinokami.com.
