BUDGET Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on Wednesday rejected the proposal to revive e-sabong (online cockfighting) to recoup projected revenue losses due to the total ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).
“Hindi ko po alam kung magkano ang revenue impact nun pero it’s definitely not included here. So, I don’t think it’s necessary for next year,” Pangandaman said during the Kapihan in Manila Bay.
Citing the study by the Department of Finance (DOF) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Pangandaman said the national government would lose just PHP7 billion in revenues following the total closure of POGOs in the country.
Pangandaman said government efficiency and tax collection could make up for the projected revenue loss.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte in May 2022 ordered the immediate termination of e-sabong operations due to its “social impact” on Filipinos.
The total ban on e-sabong came in the wake of the still unresolved disappearance of some e-sabong aficionados in the country.
Around 789 e-sabong operations are still active despite the ban, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. bared during a Senate hearing last February. (PNA)
