00:00Lawmakers vented their frustration over the social costs of online gambling,
00:05urging the BSP to remove all e-wallet links to gaming platforms within 48 hours or face contempt.
00:11Victims' families testified before the Senate,
00:14while PagCorp defended stricter regulations over an outright ban.
00:18Our Daniel Manalastas narrates this report.
00:22As the Senate started its hearing on online gambling,
00:25lots of senators pushed for the banning of this practice.
00:30It does not matter whether it is legal or illegal.
00:35Licensed or unlicensed.
00:38Online gambling is destroying our lives.
00:42Itigil na po natin ito.
00:46Tayo po kaya, Mr. Chair, kikilos pa rin tayo?
00:49O iintay na lang natin na lalong malulong ang ating mga kababayan,
00:54ang mga pamilya mawawasak?
00:56Hindi pwedeng gamitin ang dahilan na dahil kumikita tayo sa online gambling sa pamagitan ng buwis.
01:04Dapat timbangin din natin, isipin din natin yung social costs.
01:08Some of the family members of victims who became addicted to online gambling also attended the hearing.
01:14And some cases were severe.
01:16May bala na lang na mo sa pagigunan niya, ngayong ano, dahil ang gihe mo.
01:22So nalaman po nila nung nag-suicide po siya, yan pa lang ginagawa niya, ginawa niyang online gambling.
01:29The Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, or BSP, told senators that it gave e-wallet providers 48 hours
01:37to remove in-app links to online gambling platforms.
01:41To deny links to all these game, online game platforms, para wala na pong wala nang pag-uusapan.
01:53Can the BSP do that?
01:54Yes, as the Monetary Board of the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas has approved our policy
02:04that we order direct the BSP-supervised institutions to take down and remove all icons and links
02:16redirecting to online gambling sites.
02:19But some senators are questioning this grace period.
02:22I just don't get it, Mr. Chairman.
02:25Forgive me, Your Honours, my dear colleagues.
02:28It is not acceptable yung answer bakit kailangan ng 48 hours.
02:34We wanted to protect the public eh.
02:37Namamatay na nga yung mga tao eh.
02:39So ano, balato muna, two more days?
02:41Why do we give them 48 hours pa? Kung sure naman kayo.
02:45So kung may mamatay ng 48 hours kasi nalulundon, okay lang sa atin o sayang kita.
02:51Sa Saturday, ina-expect natin na kumite na ito na wala ng games niya sa e-wallet na yan.
02:58By end of Saturday?
02:59Sa Saturday.
03:00Anong hours po sa Saturday? Umaga, tanghali, gabi?
03:0414 hours po. So we give them until the end of Saturday to remove.
03:08End of the Saturday. So ibig sabihin, sige pagbibigyan kita Sunday morning, hindi ko naman kita yung games sa mga e-wallets.
03:14Apo, wala na.
03:15Pag may nakita po ako, iko-contempt kita.
03:19Pwede po.
03:20We have a problem.
03:21We have a crisis.
03:23Hindi po ito basta-basta.
03:25Yes, Your Honor.
03:26And we'll also take, we will sanction also.
03:29The e-wallet GCash said they will fully comply with the BSP's directive to remove links and icons that connect payment apps to online gambling.
03:40Meanwhile, if Pagcor will be asked, online gambling is also an important source of income.
03:47That's why they are pushing for only strict regulations.
03:50Meron din pong nakalulusot pag ang gamit nila yung mga fake na identification.
03:56Meron po naman talagang mga pangkasalukuyang mga regulasyon ang Pagcor.
04:03Pero sa bilis po talaga ng trajectory or naging exponential po yung growth,
04:09eh magtatapat po kami na talagang nagahabol din kami.
04:13Kaya po, ito'y isang magandang pagkakataon para ang Pagcor po ay makita at maanalisa kung ano pa po ang mga pwedeng gawin.
04:25It is expected that more hearings will be conducted on this issue.
04:30Daniel Manalastas from the National TV for a New and Better Philippines.
