By NITZ ARANCON, Correspondent FORMER mayor Reuben Canoy yesterday frowned over the position of anti-casino groups in the city even as he openly expressed his support for proposals to allow one here on the condition that it would not be built near churches, schools and government offices. Canoy said allowing a casino in the city would generate revenues for the government and would strengthen the city’s tourism industry. He said almost all the highly urbanized cities in the country are hosts to casinos, citing Manila, Baguio, Cebu and Davao as examples. The former mayor rejected assertions that a casino would only erode the moral fiber of the city. He said there is really no difference between lotto and casino except that only those who can afford can gamble inside casinos. “If you want to take a moral stand, mas makada-ot sa mga tawo ang lotto ug ang small-time lottery kay sa casino nga  gamay ra man ang ma-affected,” said Canoy. “Kon dili nato togotan ang casino, mas labaw nga dili nato togotan ang lotto.” But Canoy said casino operations should be strictly regulated by the government. The proposed casino, he said, should not be allowed near city hall, capitol and other government offices, churches and schools. Limketkai and Sons Inc. has sought city hall’s green light to open and operate a casino. The proposed casino site is Limketkai center near the stateun University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTSP) and the Sto. Niño church. Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Felixberto Calang frowned over Canoy’s pronouncements that a casino would not affect the city’s moral fiber. Like Roman Catholic Archbishop Antonio Ledesma, Calang said the proposed casino operations raise too many moral issues. He called it one of the “social ills.” “Sa mga areas nga na-ay daghang sugal, na-a dayon diha ang daghang illegal drugs,  kawat ug prostitution,” said Calang, cautioning the city council against granting the request of Limketkai and Sons Inc. for an endorsement of the casino plan. “Ang maayong buhaton sa  city council ilang ibasura ang casino ug maghimo silag  sustainable program sama sa pagtukod ug mga manufacturing plant nga makahatag og kaayuhan sa katawhan,” Calang said.