Dumaguete hears pro-, anti-lotto groups

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  – City legislators took in a lot of input from opposing camps at a public hearing Thursday afternoon, in aid of legislation, on whether to allow at least 15 applicants for lotto operations to do business in the city.

The public hearing was held to allow the public to air their sentiments on the pending issue of allowing additional state-run lottery outlets here.

Diocese of Dumaguete administrator Msgr. Gamaliel Tulabing, a staunch and vocal anti-lotto campaigner, said that gambling per se is not a sin but it is immoral when it becomes excessive or rampant.

Prior to the public hearing, Tulabing led a prayer assembly of students from various Catholic schools in the city.

Tulabing said that, instead of promoting hard work and industriousness, lotto paves the way for people to become indolent and lazy while putting their hard earned money on betting in a game of chance.

“Lotto is milking on the poor and is a manifestation of loss of values and respect for what is morally upright,” he said.

Lotto operators and a relatively large group of pro-lotto supporters also rallied for the game, which some of them had testified to have helped them, through the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, via financial aid such as for surgery.

A man who introduced himself as Teofilo Valencia of Brgy. Calayugan in Valencia town of Negros Oriental, recounted how PCSO greatly helped him to have a kidney transplant.

Federico Damole, of the PCSO regional office, stayed away from discussing the issues on morality and explained instead on the legalities.

Damole also rebutted Tulabing’s accusation that PCSO has been concerned only with profits. He said PCSO registers zero earnings at the start of each year because whatever revenues accumulated at the end of the year are returned to charity.

City councilors are expected to continue their deliberations on the application for business permits of at least 15 lotto operators in the city before making their endorsement to the mayor.

Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria had earlier announced that his stand will depend on the City Council’s recommendations.

Earlier, attention was brought to the fore after it was learned that the city government had issued notices of closure against lotto operators doing illegal business in the city since about a year ago but that no action had been taken until now.  (FREEMAN)