Taxes, culture and social cost: Five presidential aspirants weigh in on 'e-sabong'

Five presidential aspirants on Friday gave their two cents on online sabong or "e-sabong," which refers to the offsite betting on live cockfighting.

Vice President Leni Robredo said Congress needs to discuss thoroughly e-sabong operations as it has the sole power to give franchises.

"Congress kasi ang nagde-decide kaya kailangan pag-usapang ng Kongreso [It is Congress which would decide so they need to discuss it]," she said during the "Panata sa Bayan: The KBP Presidential Candidates Forum.".

Personally, Robredo said, she is against anything that could cause addiction especially to the young.

"Ako, hindi ako agree sa kahit anong magko-cause ng addiction sa ating kabataan, maapektuhan yung kanilang pag-aaral, growth, value system

(Personally, I am against anything that will cause addiction among our youth, affect their studies, growth and value system.)

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, for his part, said online sabong should be regulated. He said if he wins in the 2022 presidential race, he'd put online sabong under the supervision of the State.

"All these things must be regulated at pumasok sa awtoridad ng pamahalaan para sa ganoon lalo nating ma-regulate, mabantayan kung paano sila nagko-conduct ng business," he said in the same forum.

Senator Manny Pacquiao echoed Moreno's statement, nothing that cockfighting is part of Philippine culture. He also said minors should never be allowed to participate in online sabong.

"Ang sabong po sa bansa natin ay kulturang Pilipino po yan," he said in the same forum.

"Kailangan po natin i-regulate at i-manage nang husto ng ating gobyerno na lahat ng naglalaro ay may sapat na kakayahan at edad, hindi yung mga bata ang pumapasok at nagsusugal diyan," Pacquiao added.

(Sabong in the country is already part of the culture. We must regulate it and manage it carefully to ensure that minors will not be allowed to participate.)

The former world boxing champion also said the government should ensure that the nation would benefit from online sabong through taxes.

But for Senator Panfilo Lacson, government income that may be generated through the taxes from online sabong should not be the sole criteria in giving it a legislative franchise.

Noting a case of a father who committed suicide after losing a cockfighting bet, Lacson said the government should also look at its "social cost."

"Tignan natin mabuti yung social cost na nakapaloob dito. Yung posibleng tax pangalawa na lang yun. Napakaimportante yung security nung ating mga pamilya," he said.

(Let's look closely at the social cost of online sabong first. Taxes could come in second. Security of families is more important.)

Lacson echoed Robredo that Congress should conduct a thorough study before giving online sabong a legislative franchise.

Labor leader Leody de Guzman, meanwhile, said he is opposed to online sabong, adding the government is better off spending its energy on things that will help the public.

"Hindi ako sang-ayon diyan sa online sabong. Ang dami nang kuwento na nasiraan ng ulo, nagpakamatay dahil dyan sa sugal na 'yan," he said.

"Dapat nating alisin yan. Mag-focus tayo sa mas produktibong bagay na makakatulong sa ating mga mamamayan," he added.

(I am against online sabong. It destroys lives and must be removed from our society. Let us focus on things that will help the public.) 

Former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. was not able to join the forum due to conflict in schedule. —Llanesca T. Panti, Anna Felicia Bajo, Joviland Rita, Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News