Councilor moves to rescind resolution on E-Bingo

May 28, 2017 Opinion Sideglance

City Councilor Maria Mylen Victoria Yaranon has filed anew a proposed legislative measure seeking to rescind City Resolution Numbered 176, series of 2017 which interposes no objection on the operation of a traditional Bingo and an Electronic Bingo (E-Bingo) at the Albergo Hotel along Villamor Drive in the City of Baguio.

In her proposal to rescind the said resolution councilor Yaranon cited that E-bingo is an electronic game which involves money for a game of chance and that it is a form of gambling using electronic devices. She also pointed out that since gambling is a menace which can be addictive to some individuals those that are constantly engage in such activities and who become addicted incur financial problems that affect their properties, family and life.

She further made the observation in her proposed resolution that considering that the City of Baguio is a character city then it should promote the well-being of a family being the basic social institution and that individuals must be guided accordingly to spend their time more productively instead of vices.

The said proposed measure also cited that the said E-bingo is within the purview and jurisdiction of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) which is a 100% government-owned and controlled corporation that runs under the direct supervision of the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, and is an overseer of the Philippine gaming industry which involves land based casinos, electronic games, bingo games, sports betting and poker games and thus determines the suitability of the specific site presented for the operation of gaming activities.

Relative to this councilor Yaranon then explained in her proposed resolution that under the PAGCOR Gaming Site Regulatory Manual particularly Section 2 thereof pertaining to site location distance requirements the proposed gaming site must comply with the following distance requirements: “(a) Note less than three hundred (300) meters from schools, places of worship/churches, xxx public market/s, xxx”.

It was noted by Yaranon that the Albergo Hotel where the proposed traditional bingo and E-Bingo is to be operated is within 300 meters from the Little Flower Retreat House which is a place of worship, the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Elementary School which is a public school and the Pacdal Satellite Market which forms part of the Baguio City Public Market.

With the above Yaranon is hoping that the approved Resolution interposing no objection to the operation of a traditional bingo and an E-Bingo at the Albergo Hotel would be rescinded based on the perceived non-compliance by the E-Bingo applicant and operator with the site location and distance requirements as provided in the gaming site regulatory manual of the PAGCOR as well as the activity being an addictive vice for some individuals.