By Farah G. Decano

 

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) that the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators, otherwise known as POGO, shall be banned effective immediately.  He also ordered that these companies should terminate their winding up process at the end of the year.

I was among those who cheered for the President, albeit in the comfort of my home, when he made such declaration. I thought that President BBM must be cleaning the Marcos image in the local front. Finally, he was persuaded that, while domestic income increased with the influx of POGOs in our country, the social costs of having them are much higher.  BBM enumerated that various criminal incidents have risen since the start of their operations in the Philippines: scamming, human trafficking, kidnapping, money laundering, to name a few.

And if the rumors were true that it is the First Lady who is running the show in Malacañang Palace, then she is doing a fantastic job. Former ES Victor Rodriguez should just be happy that his alleged nemesis is influencing her husband to do the right thing.

The pink and yellow blocks were also satisfied about this BBM pronouncement. Senator Risa Hontiveros, along with Senator Wyn Gatchalian, felt that all her pleas have finally been heard. Even former Senator Bam Aquino could not help but express his agreement with the President.

So far, this Marcos statement on the POGO overshadowed the video that was shown by a vlogger in a Maisug Event attended by Duterte supporters. Most Filipinos were too happy with the current President’s display of political will than to mind his alleged drug use in the past. Naging lumang tugtugin na ang “bangag” na issue. Mas kapanipaniwala itong pakitang-tapang ni BBM.

This rare elation over a SONA pronouncement, however, became shortlived. Several hours after, another claim was released on social media via many platforms and memes. It said that POGOs will merely be rebranded to IGL or Internet Gaming License.  It painted Marcos Jr. a fraudster of a chief executive who cannot keep a commitment similar to his campaign promise to reduce the price of palay to P20.00 per kilo.

I am highly doubtful of this viral allegation. President BBM would not assert something and then excuse himself from his own contention by using plain semantics.  When he said that he will ban the POGOs, he was not talking to a hall of disempowered “bobotantes.”  He was addressing the entire Filipino nation through their very powerful representatives who hold the purse of government – the lawmakers.  Hindi maari na basta basta sya manloko at baka mamaya ay malagot ang annual budget nya.

 Looks like BBM is adamant in really closing down the POGOs.  After a day, PAGCOR Chief Tengco immediately clarified that the Presidential Ban on POGOs also applies to IGLs.

SONA totoo na ito.

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During the SONA, President Marcos Jr. also reiterated that the Filipinos will not yield their rights to the West Philippine sea.

 Some 24 hours later, a Chinese Coast Guard Vessel was reported to be only 94 nautical miles away from Manila Bay.  This is the 2nd time of the month that a CCG is within our Exclusive Economic Zone without any resistance from our country.  We should raise an alarm over these very serious infractions. We await the statement from Secretary Gilbert Teodoro on this matter.

 SONA man lang ay pinagsabihan ng Philippine Coast Guard na napadpad sa EEZ natin. 

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The President said that our West Philippine Sea claim is not an imagined story. I hope that our defense is also not an imagined one.

 SONA ay huwag nating iparaya sa mga dayuhang gahaman at mapanlinlang ang dapat ay pag-aari atin.

 Haaay…. SONA totoo na lang lahat ang sinasabi ng mga pulitiko.  At SONA patotohanan nila sa gawa ang kanilang mga salita.

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