The Catholic Church yesterday expressed its dismay over the passage of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod resolution favorably endorsing the operation of Small Time Lottery in Bacolod City .

The SP approved Wednesday a resolution favorably endorsing the operation of STL in the city subject to six conditions.

Those who voted in favor were Councilors Dindo Ramos, Al Victor Espino, Roberto Rojas, Alex Paglumotan and Arturo Parreño. While Councilors Celia Flor, Reynold Iledan, Catalino Alisbo, Homer Bais and Greg Gasataya voted against it, and only Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. abstained.

Those who were not present were Councilors Napoleon Cordova, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Marx Louie de la Rosa.

To break the tie, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddues Sayson voted in favor in order for the resolution to be approved.

Sayson said they will submit to the Mayor the resolution endorsing STL which is subject to six conditions to ensure the public that the operation of STL in Bacolod will be transparent.

Fr. Aniceto Buenafe of the Social Action Center said it was very disappointing to know that Sayson and five members of the SP voted in favor of the STL.

However, he expressed hope that Mayor Evelio Leonardia will exercise his veto power against the SP resolution.

All priests in the Diocese who signed the petition against STL will confer with Bishop Vicente Navarra to plan out our next move, Buenafe said.

He said the Church remains firm on its stand against STL as a way to generate funds for the government since “it will be like robbing the poor to feed the poor.”

Buenafe congratulated the five councilors who voted against the STL endorsement for their vigilance against gambling and for following the dictates of their conscience.

Earlier, Bishop Navarra asked the city officials not to allow a scenario where only the few from the already well-off enjoy more money because of STL and, in return, the whole populace remain sinking deeper and deeper into a life of laziness, apathy and utter hopelessness because of the demeaning poverty that continues to enslave them.

Paglumotan, a former Games and Amusement Board commissioner, said the approval of the resolution is not absolute since they have set a time frame of 12 months for STL to operate in the city.

He said the conditions or safety nets requires the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office authorized agent and the Bacolod City Treasurer to report to the city the actual monthly collection and remittances that the operation of STL will generate for the concerned beneficiaries.

Paglumotan said the city will regulate the usage and equal distribution of its monthly shares from STL and the proceeds should only be used for the purchase of school supplies and medicines and for other social services but should not be used for personnel services.

The monthly shares should also be reported to the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod , he said.

Councilor Dindo Ramos is coming up with an ordinance regulating the use of the fund, he added.

Paglumotan said since Bacolod is a highly-urbanized city, they believe the 5 percent charity fund from the sales proceeds of STL intended for the province should go to the city so it will receive a total net of 15 percent out of the monthly collections.

He said Parreño has proposed that a portion of the allotment of shares will go to the purchase of lands for relocation sites.

Paglumotan said: "We thank the Vice Mayor for having the will and the courage to vote in order for the resolution to be approved." He said they did not dwell on the debate on "morals" since the legal and moral issues are two contending subjects which are highly debatable and relative.

"I hope the public will give us their kind understanding and cooperation," Paglumotan said. Let us see if this will be proven effective in eliminating illegal gambling like daily double and will help the poor, he said.

"But if we see that it will not help the poor but will worsen their condition, we have set a time frame to review and eventually scrap the idea within the power of the SP," Paglumotan said.*CGS

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