Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 31) – President Rodrigo Duterte has certified as urgent on Monday two bills that are currently being tackled in the Senate plenary.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III confirmed he received the President’s note on the urgent bills to be passed during the Senate’s plenary session on Monday.
One priority measure Duterte wants senators to swiftly pass is Senate Bill 2232, which establishes a tax regime for Philippine offshore gaming operators.
“We hope that through this measure we would not only generate the much needed revenues in the country but also place the industry under stricter government oversight,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
During the Senate plenary on Monday, the bill’s sponsor Senator Pia Cayetano emphasized the measure is not primarily aimed at promoting gambling in the country. She said the bill seeks to tax POGOs as an additional revenue source for the government and to regulate industry licensees and its service providers.
“This will also ensure that POGOs and service providers are clearly defined and that they comply with requirements to allow them to do business here. So we can track them and we can easily hold them accountable if they failed to comply with the requirements,” said Cayetano.
Senator Joel Villanueva asked Cayetano the basis for legalizing all gambling activities in the country. Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon responded that the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation acts as a regulator and operator as provided in its charter.
“Gambling is basically contrary to public morals, I think that’s accepted. In order to allow gambling in society, it must be licensed by the government. Who grants the license? It should be Congress,” said Drilon. “This power of Congress is delegated to PAGCOR and PAGCOR is now exercising the functions of Congress.”
Drilon even cited jueteng, which he said PAGCOR can legalize based on its powers and functions provided in the agency’s charter. He added that the said gambling activity continues to be illegal because Congress has not passed a law for its legality.
Meanwhile, Duterte also certified as urgent Senate Bill 2234, which proposes to create the Department of Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos.
“(This will) provide a more efficient, whole-of-government approach to protect the rights and promote the welfare and interest of overseas Filipinos,” Roque added.
Villanueva, who sponsored the bill in the plenary, said the proposed legislation will not encourage more Filipinos to work abroad. He added that it has a provision which provides reintegration programs for Filipino migrant workers.
The two bills are listed in the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council’s priority legislations for 2021.
“This recognizes that the long-term plan for the OFWs is to be with their families and loved ones. Someday, there will come to a point in time that our kababayans will go abroad not because they are forced to. They will go abroad because of their choice,” said Villanueva.
