Senator Joel Villanueva expressed his objection to suggestions of reviving online cockfighting or e-sabong as a way to replace the lost revenue from the recent ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).
“We have just defeated an enemy with the POGO ban, and now some are considering resurrecting e-sabong, which is far worse because it directly targets our kababayans from all walks of life,” explained Villanueva.
The senator also pointed out that POGOs don’t solve the government’s revenue problems because they only provide a small amount of taxes during their operations.
Similarly, before e-sabong was banned, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) didn’t collect the 20% tax on winnings since it started in 2020.
Villanueva mentioned the incident of some 30 cockfighting enthusiasts (sabungeros) from Bulacan to point out its problems, citing they are still missing.
“We cannot simply turn a blind eye to the suffering of our people who have become victims of the pitfalls of gambling. Money should not be our only consideration; the welfare of our people must come first,” shared the senator.
On a relative note, the senator also filed Senate Bill No. 1281 to ban all online gambling in the country.
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