BAGUIO CITY – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) informed Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan that its Board of Directors approved a still undisclosed company to operate the Small Town Lottery (STL) in the city pursuant to the revised STL rules and regulations.
However, the local chief executive admitted that he is still going over the revised STL rules and regulations to make sure that the company has satisfactorily complied with the revised rules and regulations to help eradicate illegal gambling in the different parts of the city and has not violated existing laws, rules, and regulations.
Based on initial rough data shared with the mayor by some PCSO officials who paid a visit to him recently, the company will be able to generate a gross monthly income of P9.3 million whereby the city government is entitled to a 3 percent share while the local police force will be entitled to a still undisclosed share.
“We will consult with our barangay officials regarding the plan of PCSO to operate STL in the city as part of eradicating illegal gambling. We admit that the campaign against illegal gambling is a cat and mouse game that is why law enforcers have a difficult time in cornering those involved in the illegal gambling trade,” Domogan stressed.
Based on previous STL rules, operators of the PCSO-regulated STL must first secure the endorsement of the local government concerned through an approved resolution of the Sanggunian to guarantee the social acceptability of the State-regulated game.
Domogan underscored the need to intensify the conduct of a massive information education campaign in the city’s 128 barangays regarding the expected operation of STL in the city to encourage people to abandon patronizing illegal gambling activities to help rid the city of illegal numbers games in compliance with the orders of President Rodrigo R. Duterte for the Philippine National Police to include illegal gambling in their all-out campaign.
Domogan also called on the city police force to strengthen their anti-gambling operations by going after those directly involved in the operation of various illegal gambling activities.
Among the illegal gambling activities proliferating in the city include jueteng, drop ball, card games, colored games, salisi, and the controversial Bingo sa Barangay games.
Domogan called on residents to stop engaging in illegal gambling activities as will compromise their values, lose their hard earned money and taint the city’s no gambling policy.
By Dexter A. See
