Cayetano urges Cabinet to take hard stand vs online gambling amid education woes

PHILIPPINES, July 31 - Press Release
July 31, 2025

Cayetano urges Cabinet to take hard stand vs online gambling amid education woes

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday called on education agencies to speak up against the continued expansion of online gambling in the country, saying the government should not trade children's futures for gambling revenues.

"Shouldn't CHED, TESDA, and DepEd weigh in?" Cayetano said during his manifestation on the Senate floor as Senator Bam Aquino, chair of Senate Committee on Basic Education, delivered a privilege speech on the country's learning crisis on July 30, 2025.

Cayetano questioned the silence of key education institutions on the matter, noting the stark contrast between the government's P50 billion income from gambling and the more than P1 trillion needed to properly fund education.

"Papayag ka sa P50 billion na kikitain [sa online gambling] pero ang mga bata tuturuan mo na mag-hard work, mag-aral, at 'wag magsugal?" he said.

Cayetano recalled his refusal to calendar the franchise of e-sabong during his term as House Speaker, which he said contributed to the move to oust him from the speakership in 2020.

In the 20th Congress, Cayetano -- who has been advocating for a total ban on all forms of gambling since 2000 due to its harmful effects on youth, families, and society -- co-authored the proposed Ban on Online Gambling Act and principally authored the Anti-Online Gambling Advertisement Act, which seeks to prohibit the promotion of online gambling across all platforms.

He warned that the same risks remain today with online gaming, even as Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have been phased out.

"Ngayon, wala na ang POGO, thank God and thank you everyone here who worked on that. Having said that, pinag-iisipan pa ng Malacañang kung ano ang epekto at ano ang balance ng online gaming," he said.

Cayetano stressed that those handling the nation's education and values formation should take a principled stance on the issue.

"Do you feel, as one of the champions of education, that despite being in the same Cabinet, certain members of the Cabinet that deal with our children and our values, should have a hard stand?" he asked Aquino.

Aquino, a longtime advocate of education reform, agreed.

"I agree completely. Hindi dapat natin ipamigay ang kinabukasan ng anak natin para sa ilang bilyong buwis na makukuha natin," Aquino said.

Cayetano called for radical solutions, saying the problems in the education system are already clear and so are the answers.

"I say all of these with passion because I saw it before my eyes kung ano y'ung successful at kung ano y'ung dumudurog sa sistema. The solution is there but we have to be radical," he said.

"I think the task of this 20th Congress is not only for change or to do something but it is really the radical change that is needed -- the hard decisions and putting our money where our mouth is," he added.

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Cayetano: Dapat may matibay na paninindigan ang Gabinete laban sa online gambling

Nanawagan si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Miyerkules sa mga ahensya ng edukasyon na magsalita laban sa patuloy na paglaganap ng online gambling sa bansa, kasabay ng paalala na hindi dapat isakripisyo ang kinabukasan ng mga kabataan kapalit ng kita mula sa sugal.

"Shouldn't CHED, TESDA, and DepEd weigh in?" tanong ni Cayetano nitong July 30, 2025 sa kanyang manifestation sa privilege speech si Senator Bam Aquino, chair ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, tungkol sa krisis sa edukasyon.

Kinuwestyon ni Cayetano ang pananahimik ng mga pangunahing institusyon sa edukasyon sa isyu at iginiit ang hindi pagkakatugma ng P50 million na kita mula sa sugal kumpara sa higit P1 trillion na pondong kinakailangan para matugunan nang maayos ang edukasyon.

"Papayag ka sa P50 billion na kikitain [sa online gambling] pero ang mga bata tuturuan mo na mag-hard work, mag-aral, at 'wag magsugal?" wika nia Cayetano.

Binalikan din ng senador ang kanyang naging paninindigan noong siya ay House Speaker kung saan tinanggihan niyang i-calendar ang prangkisa ng e-sabong -- isang desisyong aniya'y naging dahilan kung bakit siya sinipa mula sa pwesto noong 2020.

Ngayong 20th Congress, isinusulong ni Cayetano -- na matagal nang nananawagan ng total ban sa lahat ng uri ng sugal mula pa noong 2000 -- ang Ban on Online Gambling Act bilang co-author at ang Anti-Online Gambling Advertisement Act bilang pangunahing may-akda, na parehong layong ipagbawal ang online gambling at ang promosyon nito sa lahat ng plataporma.

Nagbabala rin niya na nananatili pa rin ang mga panganib ng online gaming kahit pa tuluyang na-phase out na ang Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs).

"Ngayon, wala na ang POGO, thank God and thank you everyone here who worked on that. Having said that, pinag-iisipan pa ng Malacañang kung ano ang epekto at ano ang balance ng online gaming," wika niya.

Giit ni Cayetano, dapat may malinaw na paninindigan ang mga miyembro ng Gabinete na may kinalaman sa edukasyon at pagpapahalaga ng kabataan.

"Do you feel, as one of the champions of education, that despite being in the same Cabinet, certain members of the Cabinet that deal with our children and our values, should have a hard stand?" tanong niya kay Aquino.

Sinang-ayunan ito ni Aquino, na aktibong nagsusulong ng reporma sa edukasyon.

"I agree completely. Hindi dapat natin ipamigay ang kinabukasan ng anak natin para sa ilang bilyong buwis na makukuha natin," sagot ni Aquino.

Para kay Cayetano, hindi sapat ang mga paunti-unting reporma at kailangan na ng radikal na mga hakbang para resolbahin ang mga suliranin sa sistema ng edukasyon.

"I say all of these with passion because I saw it before my eyes kung ano y'ung successful at kung ano y'ung dumudurog sa sistema. The solution is there but we have to be radical," wika niya.

"I think the task of this 20th Congress is not only for change or to do something but it is really the radical change that is needed -- the hard decisions and putting our money where our mouth is," dagdag niya.