Camille Naredo

Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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PCNE XI: Padayon

Christian Deiparine

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175389021005520250718-11th-pcne-ust-david-MT8.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/>Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio S. David shares reflections on ‘Walking Together in Hope: Synodality and the Jubilee of Hope’ during the 11th Philippine Conference on New Evangelization (PCNE XI: Padayon) at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila on Friday, July 18, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA — A top Philippine church leader doubled down on his criticism of online gambling in the country on Wednesday, as scrutiny over the government&#x27;s action towards the practice intensified.Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David warned that the state may become complicit in enabling Filipinos&#x27; appetite for vice when it acts as &quot;promotor, regulator, and beneficiary of gambling revenues.&quot;&quot;No tax revenue is worth the shattered lives, families, and futures lost to gambling addiction,&quot; the president of the Catholic Bishops&#x27; Conference of the Philippines said in a letter addressed to PAGCOR chairman Alejandro Tengco. The prelate <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.facebook.com/pablovirgilio.david/posts/pfbid0Mhw7Wa19PrAy8rPCDvafDtzhoct2t4mbd2nD1noJvE6Yt9CBzNHVqkkvzNnL2qrJl?rdid=IOtWJfkfq6j7kQJb#">made public on social media</a> Wednesday his July 15 correspondence with the head of the government&#x27;s gaming regulator, who earlier wrote to David. His remarks reflected growing calls from some lawmakers and civil society groups for an outright ban on online gambling that was absent from the President Marcos Jr.&#x27;s annual address to Congress on Monday. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/cbcp-rues-marcos-sona-silence-on-online-gambling-2212">READ: CBCP rues Marcos&#x27; SONA silence on online gambling</a></div>&quot;The solution is not to normalize harmful behaviors but to strengthen law enforcement,&quot; said David, &quot;digital literacy, and community support systems that help people resist addiction.&quot;&quot;Revenue must never outweigh the moral duty to protect the common good,&quot; the outspoken church leader added. Tencgo in his July 3 letter insisted a ban will put players in greater harm, owing to the absence of safeguards. He also warned the government stands to lose billions of pesos in revenues. With no taxes from illegal gaming operators, he said it would &quot;cripple our nation-building initiatives.&quot; Case in point, PAGCOR said the e-games sector contributed more than half – or over P114 billion – of the P215 billion total gross gaming revenues in the country from January to June.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/29/marcos-concerned-with-online-gambling-additional-regulations-being-discussed-recto-1514">READ: Marcos concerned with online gambling, additional regulations being discussed—Recto</a></div>In the same letter, David said he was concerned over the accessibility of digital gambling to minors, who he warned could skirt security checks through fake or borrowed IDs.&quot;There is no such thing as truly &#x27;responsible&#x27; online gambling,&quot; the cardinal added, &quot;when the business model is designed to maximize play, losses, and repeat betting.&quot;The Catholic Church, whose members make up 80 percent of the Philippines population, warns that games of chance become &quot;morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others.&quot;&quot;The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement,&quot; the official church teaching, known as the Catechism, adds. David called for a policy shift &quot;that places human dignity and the common good above short-term financial gains,&quot; while assuring PAGCOR that the church was committed to helping protect Filipinos from the effects of gambling addiction.

A top Philippine church leader doubled down on his criticism of online gambling in the country on Wednesday, as scrutiny over the government's action towards the practice intensified.

A top Philippine church leader doubled down on his criticism of online gambling in the country on Wednesday, as scrutiny over the government's action towards the practice intensified.

Cardinal David to PAGCOR: No revenue worth 'shattered' families, lives lost to gambling

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Cardinal David to PAGCOR: No revenue worth 'shattered' families, lives lost to gambling

Christian Deiparine,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 30, 2025 11:48 PM PHT

|

Updated Jul 30, 2025 11:50 PM PHT

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online gambling

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines

CBCP

PAGCOR

Alejandro Tengco

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