E-Sabong’s Covid issue
By Gonzalo Duque
DESPITE the fact that the e-sabong is supposed to be just a game where people can place their bets online even at home using a smartphone or computer, there are still a lot of people crowding the e-sabong betting station on a compound along the Tapuac Road.
No matter if e-sabong is licensed by the Pagcor or not, or if the betting station has a permit from the LGU or franchise from the Sanggunian or not, the issue here is health. The consequence of non-observance of social distancing by bettors is the spread of COVID-19, aside from the other social costs that it causes to those addicted to betting.
If not attended to, the e-sabong betting station can turn into a super COVID-19 spreader if it has not already, noting the big spike in cases in Dagupan since the start of the new year as tricycle drivers and off-work jeepney drivers as well as other gambling aficionados often linger at the betting station for hours to watch online cockfights and bet.
What can the authorities say on this this?
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In the interviews conducted separately by Ms. Jessica Soho and Boy Abunda, it was only the latter who asked his interviewees (so far Ping Lacson, Bongbong Marcos and Leni Robredo) on what they can do about overseas employment.
Let me refresh your memory. The Overseas Migrant Workers Act was enacted by Congress during the administration of President Fidel Ramos with our very own Joe de Venecia as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This Act was passed as a consequence of the Flor Contemplacion execution in Singapore. I know this because I was then the deputy administrator of the POEA.
The main purpose of the Act was to see to it that the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as the different Philippine embassies located all over the world where Overseas Filipino Workers were present would ensure that OFWs receive protection.
That means that if the OFWs are registered with Overseas Workers Welfare Administration or OWWA, they will get protection if cases arise as a consequence of their deployment. The DFA will take charge for undocumented Filipinos who entered the host country sans any contract. The law’s vision is to see to it that overseas employment in the future will merely become an option because work will soon be available in the country.
That did not happen. From 1998 onward, that vision never came true as working overseas has not become an option but rather has become the only option for Filipinos due to the scarcity of work at home.
It is a wonder that since 1998 to this day, our legislators have not reviewed the Overseas Migrant Workers Act. But instead, they created the new Department of Migrant Workers by merging POEA, OWWA and other allied agencies working for the advancement of OFWs’ welfare. That’s good. I am all for it.
Now, because of the pandemic, more than 750,000 OFWs came home. It is the job of the new president who we will be elected in the May 9, 2022 elections as to what strategy he/she will adopt to create jobs. Sadly, none of the presidential candidates has articulated his/her medium-term plans to ensure that jobs will be available to our people.
Sinasabi ng mga candidates, we should have many jobs for our people. But that is easier said than done. They should walk the talk and present a road map where we are headed in solving the problem of joblessness in our country.
Kasi labor-sending country tayo e. In fact, data shows that 11 percent of our GDP comes from the OFW remittances. Many thanks to Speaker JdV who sponsored the bill that became a law providing for inward remittances.
How do you create those jobs? One is to attract investments, But other than this, we cannot attract investments if our costs of production, including power, are high.
Ano ang dapat gagawin ng susunod na president? I hope to see him or her adopt a holistic approach on creating jobs as well as reducing production cost in order to attract investors that will put their money in manufacturing.
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