ANGELES CITY -- Opposition Councilor Carmelo Lazatin, Jr. urged his fellow city officials to protect the children of Angeles City by preventing the proliferation of electronic games (e-games).
“Do the right thing, protect our children and exercise moral ascendancy,” Lazatin told other city officials in his privilege speech during the City Council session on Tuesday.
Lazatin, on the same day, filed a resolution requesting the City Government, through the chief executive, to temporarily stop issuing permits to establishments involved in any form of e-gambling pending the result of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) site inspection.
The councilor advised his fellow elected officials to “be part, as one community, in raising well the children of Angeles City.”
He lamented that the City Council approved the electronic games outlets situated near schools. He said that all of his colleagues in the council are members of Committee of Education and Rights and welfare of children.
“Mapalyaring technically milusut la keng policy ning PAGCOR pero etamu dapat papaburen na dakal la reni malapit karing iskuela tamu (It might technically slip through the policy of Pagcor but we must not allow these [e-gambling establishments] to proliferate near our schools),” Lazatin said.
Last month, the councilor launched a crusade against electronic gaming being established near schools, houses of worships and informal settlers.
He also opposed the establishment of sports-betting in New Point Mall in Nepo center, which is near several educational and religious institutions.
“While Pagcor set certain policies, the burden of conscience is on us, as elected officials of this city,” Lazatin said.
Lazatin wrote a letter to schools and religious institutions to join him in the crusade against the establishment of electronic gambling near schools.
“Pababayaan pa ba natin na madagdagan ang brand ng Angeles bukod sa ‘Sin City’ ay maging e-games capital of the Philippines tayo,” Lazatin said.
Since 2013, the Angeles City council has approved a total of 21 new electronic gaming outlets.
Out of 21 resolutions passed by the City Council establishing e-games, 16 were sponsored by three-term number one Councilor Jericho Genaskey Aguas.
Lazatin has underscored the need to regulate the “mushrooming” of e-games outlets in the city.
“I am alarmed with the fact that several e-games outlets and sports-betting that were approved are near schools,” he said.
