By Wilnard Bacelonia | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday drew praises from lawmakers, especially with his declaration to ban Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO).
In a statement, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero described the SONA as “honest, truthful, and comprehensive.”
“Highlights for me were the first 10 minutes devoted to rice, agriculture, and food security; the [West Philippine Sea] and POGO ban,” Escudero said.
“I commend the President for an excellent and perfectly delivered speech that showed and proved that he listens and cares for the Filipino,” he added.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada saw President Marcos’ declaration as a development after the series of hearings conducted by the Senate.
“It is a welcome development for all those who were listening. Of course the senators, the congressmen, we’re really very happy with the unexpected decision of the President,” Estrada said in an interview wherein he also rated the SONA 95 out of 100.
Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian gave Marcos a perfect score because of his declaration against POGO.
“So, parang moot and academic na ’yong resolution [na ipinasa namin] na ’yon dahil ’yong resolution sense of the Senate yun. Ito na ang sense of the Senate na i-ban ang POGO at very loud and clear ang speech ng Pangulo: lahat ng POGO iba-ban, hindi lang ilegal ha, all POGOs iba-ban,” Gatchalian said in a separate interview.
Senator Grace Poe, for her part, said she is now full of hope and grateful to have “a President that listens.”
“Lahat ng mga problema na dinaranas natin ngayon ay nakapagbigay siya ng plano niya at higit sa lahat, ’yong ating teritoryo na talagang iginigiit niyang atin at bina-ban na niya ang POGO,” Poe said.
The lady senator gave the President a score of 9.8 out of 10, saying a lot has changed since his first SONA.
Senator Nancy Binay described the President’s SONA as “concise, forward-looking, and thoughtfully articulated”.
“As to us in the Senate, we took note of the President’s executive agenda, and we shall act decisively on necessary measures to fulfill these objectives — para sa Pilipinas at para sa Pilipino,” Binay said.
Senator Joel Villanueva thanked the Chief Executive for listening, carefully analyzing, and eventually concluding that POGOs should be totally banned.
“We agree with the President’s statement that ‘evil triumphs when good men do nothing.’ Thus, we continue to call for the prohibition not only of POGOs but all forms of online gambling in the country. Likewise, we urge PAGCOR to promptly enforce the President’s directive,” Villanueva said, referring to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Villanueva recently filed Senate Bill 1281, seeking to prohibit POGOs and all forms of online gambling in the country.
Villanueva made this call amid mounting evidence gathered by the Senate linking POGOs to various crimes such as torture, kidnapping, murder, and human trafficking.
Saying “goodbye” to POGOs, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros assured the public that Senate hearings will continue to demand accountability from those who allowed the industry to flourish in the country.
“We will also continue to ensure that we strengthen policies that would prevent industries like POGOs from ever emerging again,” Hontiveros said in a statement.
She also thanked victim-survivors, whistleblowers, and government agencies who contributed evidence and testified in the hearings.
Perfect score
Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. gave the President a perfect 10 for giving POGOs until the end of the year to stop operations in the country.
“Their (POGOs’) operations have ventured into illicit areas farthest from gaming, such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder,” Abante said in a statement.
He said the grave abuse and great disrespect to the country’s system of laws must stop and the President has done his part by directing the PAGCOR to “wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year.”
House Speaker Martin Romualdez also lauded Marcos for the total ban directive against POGOs.
Abante and Romualdez called on Marcos to ask the Department of Labor and Employment to find jobs for POGO workers who will be displaced by his directive.
Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, CIBAC Party-list Rep. Bro. Eddie Villanueva, and Iloilo City Lone District Rep. Julienne Baronda lauded the President for heeding the call to ban POGOs.
“We, in the House of Representatives, have been calling for the closure of POGOs, whether legal or illegal, because of the evil they have caused not only in the areas where they operate but in other communities,” Rodriguez said.
He said the collective call was reflected in the approval by the House Committee on Games and Amusement early this year of his resolution and a bill authored by Abante, both of which proposed banning POGOs.
“We made the proposal long before the authorities exposed various criminal activities associated with POGOs raided in Bamban, Tarlac and Porac, Pampanga, including money laundering and human trafficking,” he said.
Villanueva, meanwhile, said the directive of the President is a very welcome development to CIBAC Party-list’s anti-gambling advocacy.
“Since Day 1, we have been saying that POGO is not of God, will do the country harm, and will invite divine wrath and curses to our nation. In fact, its ill effects are already manifested by various social costs, which far outweigh its alleged benefits,” he said.
He said the President’s POGO ban should ultimately refresh the government’s resolve to stamp out all forms of gambling in the country.
“We earnestly hope and pray that this policy will be translated into complete implementation,” he added. (with report from Zaldy De Layola)
