ERWIN TULFO TO LEAD SENATE PROBE INTO ONLINE GAMBLING

SENATE Committee on Games and Amusement Chairperson Erwin Tulfo is set to spearhead the hearing on bills seeking to address the ill effects of online gambling in the Philippines this August 14.

“Sa Thursday, sasalang ang mga bills on online gambling sa Senate Committee on Games and Amusements. I made a commitment to prioritize these bills kasi lumalala ang problema. It’s a crisis na eh. So, talagang kailangan aksyunan na ito, to solve this problem,” Tulfo, chairperson of the committee, said.

While he wants a total ban on online gambling, Tulfo vowed to hear the positions of the government agencies such as the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Department of Finance (DOF) to weigh the pros and cons if the industry will be outright declared illegal.

“Ang problema natin, we were not ready. Walang regulation kaya walang habas ang pagsasugal ng mga tao. Walang kontrol kung magkano itataya. Bahala na yung buong sweldo, itataya. Kung ano ano ang ipupusta. Mga bata, nakakasugal na rin,” he said.

“You have to weigh, ‘di ba? Ito ‘yung kita mo pero ito naman social ills, ‘di ba? Yung problema na ‘yung mga tao nagiging addict sa sugal. Paano na lamang ‘yun, diba? Ano ang ang importante? Exactly. Importante ba yung kita kaysa dun sa kinabukasan ng mga tao, ng mga kabataan, ng mga magulang na nalulong sa sugal?” Tulfo further said.

The Senate Games and Amusement Panel will tackle four bills and three resolutions, and a privilege speech on the ill effects of the online gambling industry.