DUE to the ongoing restriction in the operation of gambling activities in Davao City brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, a city councilor is recommending that the city allow the operation of online sabong (cockfighting).
"Magsugod nakog hearing aning online sabong kay ang mga Pilipino, dili gyud maundang kaning kultura, gusto gyud magsabong. Kabahin kang Mayor, online mani. Dili mani makatakod og [Covid-19] kay muduwa ra man ka ani sa computer bisag wala ka sa sabungan, makadula ka sa online," Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said in a radio interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on Thursday, April 8.
(We will start a committee hearing on online cockfighting because some cannot seem to stop playing the game. Regarding the mayor’s opposition to sabong, that is not a problem because this will be all online. People won’t be infected with the coronavirus because they will do it online.)
Dayanghirang, who is the committee chairperson of the games and amusement, said he is pushing for the online sabong because aside from the clamor coming from cockfighting bettors, this will also allow the city to generate additional revenue due.
Dayanghirang said sabong has been a traditional Filipino activity. However, due to the prohibition against mass gatherings, which are vulnerable to the transmission of the coronavirus, cock derby and other small-scale cockfighting events and activities are not allowed.
He said online sabong reduces the risk of transmission as bettors can engage in gambling activity without going to derby arenas or in secluded areas.
Dayanghirang said they will start the committee hearing on online sabong in the City Council on Monday, April 12.
The councilor also said they will also discuss during the hearing the appeal of casinos to resume operations amid the pandemic.
"Kung tan-awon nimo ang casino, sirado. Tungod aning pandemic, sige sila og hangyo sa siyudad nga kung pwede unta maka-operate (Casinos, in the time of pandemic, are closed. Now, they have been asking us if they would be allowed to resume their operations)," he said
He said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, a government-owned and controlled corporation that regulates the operation of all casinos in the country, relies on their income to gamblers, of which its revenue will also be utilized in providing medical assistance to indigent individuals and families.
"Ngano ginahuna-huna nato ni, aron naa tay kwarta, makakolekta ta og buwis. Kung makakolekta ta'g buwis, makatabang tag palit og bugas, pampalit og medisina, pangpalit og vaccine. So gikinahanglan nato makakita og kwarta para magpadayon ang serbisyo sa gamhanan," he said.
(We thought of this to generate additional revenue. If we could generate more money, we could help our indigent constituents by giving them bag of rice, purchase additional medicine, and even additional purchase of vaccine. We need to find resources for continuous service to the public.)
He said this is not the main priority of the city, but because of the need to generate more funding, he said the mayor may reconsider it.
"Sa kinatibuk-an, dili ni ang priority ni Mayor Sara kaning sabong ug uban pa, apan sugo sa panahon nga kinahanglan gyud nato maka-raise og funds, murag ginahisgutan na, nihatag na'g signal si mayor na tan-awon nato kung unsa pay makakuha ta og pamaagi nga maka-raise ta'g funds," Dayanghirang said.
(In general, online sabong and other gambles are not the priority of Mayor Sara. But due to the need to raise funds, the mayor gave us the signal to look for other means to raise funds.)
Dayanghirang, who is also the committee chair of finance ways and means and appropriation, admitted that the pandemic affected the city’s annual budget due to the closure of some establishments and the suspension of the collection of some taxes to aid the public from their economic losses.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio earlier prohibited cockfighting and other forms of gambling in the city when the city was placed under community quarantine in 2020.
This came after one of the sources of the Covid-19 infection in Mindanao was at a cock derby on March 7, 1 and 12, at the New Davao Matina Gallera.
The mayor also previously advised cockfighters who were appealing to allow their activities to do their business outside the city where they are permitted.
It can be recalled that several persons involved in illegal cockfighting have been apprehended and charged in violation of Presidential Decree (PD) 449 as amended by PD 1602 and Republic Act 11332 in relation to Section 4, of Executive Order 47-A of City Government of Davao.
Duterte-Carpio and the majority of the 19th City Council also came to a consensus to make the city gambling-free, including banning sabong.