THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) proposal to launch online lotto in a bid to increase its revenues has been strongly opposed by Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Tuesday during a panel hearing.
“I am totally against this plan and I am registering my strong objection to it,” he told former Quirino congressman and now PCSO Chairman Junie Cua during a briefing on August 30.
Rodriguez even made the point that young people would have easy access to gambling if PCSO pushed the creation of a digital or online lottery.
“Let us not make gambling easily available to our youth by making it online. Even children who have mobile phones will be able to access it. Let us stay as is – let us keep the status quo,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez reminded his colleagues that “we in government are the custodians of the welfare of our youth under the principle of Parens Patriae!”
He appealed to Cua and his fellow lawmakers “not to do to our youth what e-sabong or online sabong has done to our people.”
Some 26 or so individuals have reportedly been kidnapped in connection with e-sabong. Their whereabouts are still unknown.
“Gambling is always illegal under the Revised Penal Code, the only exemptions being those allowed by Congress and by law like a presidential decree,” the Mindanao lawmaker stressed.
Rodriguez also brought the complaints of lotto agents in Cagayan de Oro about their diminishing sales due to the operation of STL, low commissions, and lack of representation on the PCSO board. Cua promised to look into the plight of lotto agents and give more benefits to them.
Rodriguez also objected to further earmarking or diverting PCSO income to other purposes.
“Congress has been giving away PCSO funds to activities unrelated to the agency’s mandate, which is to finance charity projects and health services. Let us review all of these laws and repeal those that are no longer necessary,” he said.
Cua supported Rodriguez’s suggestion, saying he wants a rationalization of all earmarking laws passed by Congress.
Rodriguez likewise said, “the PCSO is giving funds to so many agencies and organizations, eroding its income intended for charity and health services.”
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