Marcos yet to talk to stakeholders, Church reps about online gambling —Palace

Malacañang on Tuesday said President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr.'s meeting with concerned stakeholders to tackle online gambling has yet to be scheduled. 

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked when can the public expect a final decision about the policy on online gambling so that any changes can be factored into the spending plan for next year. 

''Actually, nakausap po natin ang DBM [Department of Budget and Management] at ngayon po kasi sila magsusumite ng budget o ng NEP, at ang panukala naman ng Pangulo na makausap ang mga stakeholders kasama na po ang representative mula sa mga simbahan ay hindi pa po ito nai-schedule as of the moment,'' Castro said.

(We've talked to DBM and today, they will submit the NEP. The President's plan to talk with stakeholders, including representatives from the Church, has not been scheduled yet.) 

''Ito pa lamang po ay kasasabi ng ating Pangulo lalong-lalo na doon sa MPC [Malacañang Press Corps] sa India. So, mag-i-schedule pa lamang po ang Pangulo para po makausap ang lahat ng maaaring mga concerned parties para maisagawa ang sapat na pag-aaral patungkol sa online gaming,'' she added.

(He just mentioned this including to those members of the MPC who went to India. The President will still schedule this meeting with concerned parties to ensure a thorough study as regards online gambling.) 

Castro, however, ensured that Marcos' meeting with stakeholders would be conducted as soon as possible.

''Sa madali’t madaling panahon ay gagawin po iyan ng Pangulo,'' the Palace official said.

(The President will schedule this planned consultation as soon as possible.) 

Marcos earlier disclosed that he is eyeing the creation of a body that will formulate the government's policy on online gambling, adding that he is looking to include Catholic bishops in the process because of their recent pronouncements on the issue.

Marcos emphasized that the problem is not online gambling but the social effects on the children and those who are addicted to gambling.

Several lawmakers have pushed for a ban on the industry given worries that addiction is soaring, with more gamblers drawn to online, even accelerated further by advertisements on social media and e-wallet platforms.

The lawmakers have also proposed stricter regulations for online gambling, as they said a total ban would only lead to the public heading to illegal operations. —KG, GMA Integrated News