MANILA – To boost the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response funds, President Rodrigo Duterte allowed online gambling in the country.
Considering the government is running short of funds, Duterte stressed that allowing gambling operations was the most “sensible” thing to do.
“Itong sugal, bakit ko pinayagan? Wala tayong pera eh. Ngayon kasi kailangan natin ng pera, the most sensible thing is really just to encourage those activities. Though it may sound not really repulsive but maybe repugnant to some, eh magdusa na muna kayo kasi kailangan ko talaga ang pera para sa bayan,” he said on Wednesday in a pre-recorded meeting with his political party officials.
Duterte was previously against the online gambling industry. He even insisted on a no-casino policy in famous resorts in Boracay and Bohol.
However, the pandemic forced his government to tap reserved funds from gambling operations. He said that it was the only way to prevent COVID from infecting more people in the country.
The president, however, noted that he is still against gambling “at the barangay level, noting that it would be more difficult to control.
Malacañang recognizes the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) as the government’s tax revenue generators amid the prevailing health crisis but would not let them evade paying the right taxes.
Around 60 POGOs have secured licensed to operate in the country.(PNA/PN)
