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LAPU-LAPU CITY — Rep. Junard Chan of Lapu-Lapu City said he turned down an offer of P300,000 per month from a group behind an online gambling platform, saying he refuses to promote a vice that can ruin lives.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Chan revealed that he was approached by representatives of an online gaming company seeking a long-term partnership in exchange for social media endorsements.
“We’re offering P300,000 per month, starting immediately, in exchange for regular promotion and integration of our eGames content into your posts,” read the message Chan received.
Chan, who has 915,000 followers on Facebook, responded with a strong refusal.
“Big no! When I woke up this morning, we were greeted with an invitation to promote online gambling. It’s an automatic ‘no’ for me because we know that some lives were destroyed because of gambling,” he said.
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Apart from rejecting the offer, Chan reminded his constituents to avoid gambling, especially with the proliferation of online platforms that offer casino games.
The congressman said he heard stories of people using money intended for food to gamble, causing serious problems within their households.
Chan, a former mayor, is a first time congressman.
Amid mounting calls to rein in online gambling, Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed an unnumbered bill as part of her top 20 priority measures for the 20th Congress.
She warned that the ease of access through digital payment platforms has made it easier for Filipinos to develop gambling addictions.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier filed a separate measure seeking a total ban on online gambling, calling it a “silent epidemic” that has harmed many Filipinos, particularly the youth.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines has also intensified its opposition, citing the industry’s disproportionate impact on vulnerable sectors such as the poor and young people.
Responding to mounting criticism from lawmakers and the Catholic Church, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. said it is open to stricter regulations but maintained its opposition to an outright ban.
In both chambers of Congress, more bills have been introduced seeking either a full prohibition or tighter controls on online gambling, a sector that, while controversial, continues to be a major source of government revenue.
