OPPOSITION TO STL MOUNTING

Ilonggos dares PCSO to show lottery’s benefits

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and operators of Small Town Lottery (STL) must present proof of the legalized numbers game’s positive impact on host communities.

This was the challenged posed by parties opposed to the entry and operation of STL in Iloilo during the public hearing conducted by Sangguniang Panlalawigan Friday on the intent of Around D’World Gaming Corp. (ADGC) to operate STL in the province.

ADGC has secured a franchise from the PCSO board to operate STL in the province but it can not commence operation until it has secured the approval of the League of Municipalities or the SP and the Office of the Governor.

Board member Demetrio Sonza, who has voiced his opposition to STL last month, said PCSO should quantify the benefits derived from the legalized numbers game.

Sonza said statistics must be presented to prove that STL has made positive changes on the lives of bet collectors and bettors.

Sonza cited the proliferation of illegal gambling such as bookies despite the operation of STL.

Student leader Frances Grace Parcon echoed Sonza’s contention saying that the PCSO and STL must show proof of the game’s benefits before it operates in the province.

Boy Homicillada of PROCESS Foundation said the SP should postpone any decision on STL operations in the province and study the impact of the game on the community.

Homicillada cited the lack of monitoring and transparency in the sharing of STL proceeds and how the income is spent by the government and police.

Reverend Rodson Hervilla of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches, Inc. said they are alarmed with the proliferation of gambling, whether legal or illegal.

Hervilla said gambling is a vicious form of exploitation as people are made to raise their expectations for nothing.

Hervilla said people shun dignified forms of livelihood because of the games of chance including lotto and STL.

In a statement read by a representative during the hearing, Central Philippine University President Robles Teodoro Robles said gambling results in laziness and get-rich-quick attitude in people.

Robles said government should strive to teach people to earn a decent livelihood and avoid debt.

A representative from the town of Bingawan read a resolution objecting to STL operations in the province, citing that gambling results in dishonesty as husbands don’t remit their full salary to their wives so they can bet on STL.

The Bingawan resolution said STL is still jueteng, a form of illegal gambling.

William Medici, PCSO Visayas-Mindanao manager, said STL will help eradicate illegal gambling and provide more funds to the government.

Medici said PCSO will come out with a new set of implementing rules and regulations that will strengthen STL against illegal gambling.

But Medici stammered when asked for assurance that illegal gambling will be stamped out once STL is operational.

Iloilo provincial police director Gil Lebin said illegal gambling continues to proliferate because it is tolerated by local authorities.

Lebin said illegal gambling rakes in large profit and provides employment to impoverished communities.

Lebin also said that Filipinos are born gamblers.

“If you take away illegal gambling, the bet collectors will just resort to other forms of illegalities. The police are just part of the solution but we cannot totally eradicate illegal gambling,” he said.

Vice Governor Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. said the SP which converted itself into a committee of the whole will convene in a week’s time to determine if they will hold another round of public hearing.