Jamaine Punzalan

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his 4th annual State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175403336824520250728-marcos-sona-congress-JC0820.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his 4th annual State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 28, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — The Palace on Friday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after several lawmakers expressed disappointment over the absence of online gambling issues in his fourth State of the Nation Address.</p><p>Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the president cannot make hasty decisions without thoroughly studying their potential effects.</p><p>“Maganda po kasi huwag tayo masyadong magpadalus-dalos. Minsan kasi nakikita natin ano ba iyong isinisigaw ng taumbayan pero iyong iba hindi pa po inaaral nang mabuti kung ano ba iyong magiging effect nito sa bayan,” Castro said in Palace press briefing. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/29/marcos-concerned-with-online-gambling-additional-regulations-being-discussed-recto-1514?utm_source=dlvr.it&amp;utm_medium=facebook&amp;fbclid=IwQ0xDSwL1eeBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn8NhViPlRMSy4PqHhH96qUSh5BMVoW5_XaPoytX1URZFi2gMs4Dg6YR2cLN_aem_r95oYd6gPbjBk2Rfsw7Edg">Marcos concerned with online gambling, additional regulations being discussed—Recto</a></div><p>Castro said there was a need to first determine whether the illicit activities propagate in licensed or unlicensed online gambling sites.</p><p>“Dapat muna po malaman natin saan ba nanggagaling iyong kamalian doon ba sa licensed online gambling app o doon sa mga hindi lisensiyado? So, dapat malaman natin saan ba nagugumon ang ating mga kababayan sa sugal – doon ba sa mga iligal na gambling app?” she said.</p><p>Some lawmakers have been calling for a total ban on online gambling, saying its social costs &quot;far outweigh&quot; the revenue it contributes to the government.</p><p>The Palace official took note of the recent incident involving a congressman who was caught supposedly watching a cockfighting video despite e-sabong being illegal.</p><p>The lawmaker, AGAP party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones, later denied that he is engaged in e-sabong and claimed that he was just checking a “practice fight” video for an invite to be a sponsor in a traditional derby.</p><div><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rxC2pKEk9y0" title="&#x27;Hindi ako nagi-e-sabong&#x27;: Rep. Nicanor Briones explains viral video | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>“Example na lamang po natin recently alam natin ang e-sabong wala na, ang e-sabong noon nakakapagbigay ng revenue, ng tulong sa pamahalaan. Noong tinanggal po iyan definitely wala na pero bakit may e-sabong? So, sino ang nakikinabang sa iligal na sabong ngayon? Bakit isa pang mambabatas ang nakitaan natin na siyang nagpatunay na mayroon pang e-sabong?” Castro said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/31/agap-lawmaker-in-viral-e-sabong-video-forgives-uploader-1220">AGAP lawmaker in viral e-sabong video forgives uploader</a></div><p>In May 2022, then President Rodrigo Duterte said he was stopping the operations of e-sabong due to its detrimental effects on Filipinos. </p><p>When Marcos assumed office months after, he formally banned e-sabong operations nationwide through Executive Order No. 9.</p><p>“So, dapat ito aralin mabuti ano ba ang dapat gawin dahil kapag nga tinanggal natin talaga agad-agad ang online gambling at maapektuhan naman iyong ibang mga lisensiyado, makakaapekto ba ito sa tulong sa bayan, sa tulong sa mga estudyante, sa tulong sa mga Pilipino,” she said.</p><p>The Palace official maintained an extensive study was needed to fully assess whether online gambling should be prohibited, citing the billions of revenues the industry generates.</p><p>“Hindi po puwedeng magpadalus-dalos ang Pangulo dito. Dapat aralin po dahil sa totoo lamang po ang mga revenue po na ibinibigay ng lisensiyado na online gambling ay nakakapagbigay talaga ng tulong sa mamamayan,” Castro said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/31/deped-urges-strict-regulation-of-online-gambling-1542">DepEd urges strict regulation of online gambling</a></div><p>“Dapat pong aralin at hindi po dapat na ora-orada at mag-uutos agad na tanggalin agad iyan, dapat inaaral po iyan. Iyan ganiyan po kasi ang gusto ng Pangulo inaaral bago magpadalus-dalos sa aksiyon,” she added.</p><div><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LPJ8Rkb1uDw" title="FULL: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s 2025 State of the Nation Address | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c9fSNcStZYI" title="Marcos SONA missed mark on kidnappings, online gambling - prof" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Palace on Friday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after several lawmakers expressed disappointment over the absence of online gambling issues in his fourth State of the Nation Address.</p>

The Palace on Friday defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after several lawmakers expressed disappointment over the absence of online gambling issues in his fourth State of the Nation Address.

‘Hindi puwedeng padalus-dalos’: Palace defends Marcos SONA silence on online gambling

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‘Hindi puwedeng padalus-dalos’: Palace defends Marcos SONA silence on online gambling

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 01, 2025 03:38 PM PHT

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