MANIFESTATION OF SENATOR LOREN LEGARDA IN SUPPORT OF THE PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF SENATOR JUAN MIGUEL ZUBIRI ON ONLINE GAMBLING

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues:

I rise to express my full support for the privilege speech delivered by Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on the urgent and disturbing issues surrounding online gambling operations in the country.

Online gambling, similar to other vices, has become so addictive and pervasive that it has begun to corrode the very fabric of our society. It affects not just individual players but entire families and communities. Ordinary Filipinos, many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet, are being lured into these platforms, risking their hard-earned wages and even their entire life savings.

We have long regulated access to casinos and other forms of traditional gambling. The requirement of physical presence and the face-to-face nature of these establishments served as an additional hurdle—one that often made individuals think twice before spending their money.

Unfortunately, the rise of online gambling has erased these barriers. The relentless advertising by popular figures and influencers, combined with the easy access provided by electronic wallets and digital platforms, has made gambling a dangerously simple activity. It is now accessible anytime, anywhere, even to the youth and other vulnerable groups.

More than just an issue of regulation, this is now a matter of public welfare, mental health, and economic security. What is at stake now is the kind of future we are allowing to take root in our country.

I thank Senator Zubiri for raising this timely and critical issue. I express my full support for further investigations and legislative action that will reflect our duty to protect the Filipino people from systems that exploit their vulnerabilities for profit.

This growing social scourge brought about by online gambling cannot be justified by any amount of revenue it generates. The Senate, as an institution, is always called upon to protect the dreams of Filipino families—and to steer them away from the traps of addiction and the false promises of games of chance.

Thank you, Mr. President.