ILOILO CITY - The Diocese of Kalibo will spearhead a prayer rally against the plan to allow the operation of Small Town Lottery in the province of Aklan.

Hundreds of priests and Catholic faithful coming from the 24 parishes of the diocese are expected to join the rally at the provincial capitol where a public hearing will be held, according to Fr. Isauro David, parish priest of Makato town. In a pastoral statement, Kalibo Bishop Jose Romeo Lazo called on the priests, parish pastoral councils and lay organizations to denounce the entry of STL in the province and to launch an information campaign on the evils of gambling.

The Aklan provincial board is conducting public hearings on the proposal of the League of Municipalities-Aklan chapter to allow the numbers game to operate in the province.

Sixteen of the province's 17 municipal mayors passed a resolution on September 11, inviting the chairman and the general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office to conduct a test run of the STL in the province. The mayors include Kalibo Mayor Raymar Rebaldo, who had previously opposed the operation of the STL in 2006.

The mayors also invited the two PCSO officials to orient the officials of the LMP and the province on the rules and regulations governing the operation of the numbers game.

In their resolution, the mayors said that the legalization of STL would lessen the work of law-enforcement agencies tasked to crack down on illegal gambling so that they could focus on other peace and order and security concerns.

The mayors said that proceeds from STL would benefit charitable institutions and local government units and could be used to fund programs and services for the people.

The mayors had also sent a letter to Aklan Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo, saying the legalization of STL "would be favorable to local government unit(s), as long as regulatory measures are undertaken."

In the letter signed by Mayor Elverita Templonuevo, LMP-Aklan public relations officer, the league said the operation of STL "would eliminate if not completely eradicate the illegal gambling operation in the province."

She said the STL was "synonymous" with the lottery, also operated by the PCSO, which she said gave additional funds to local governments.

But Lazo said the Church is concerned with the initiative of the mayors to push for the operation of the STL. He pointed out that the proposal has been turned down thrice before by the provincial board.

The Aklan provincial board passed a resolution in 2006 opposing the operation of STL in the province and declared that it would reject any application for the operation of the numbers game.

The board had said that the operation of STL would be "detrimental to the moral, familial and financial well being" of the Aklanons.

STL is operating in Iloilo City but is barred in other areas of the Iloilo province.

The Archdioceses of Jaro and Capiz, in pastoral statements, said that legalizing illegal gambling would not make it moral and would not resolve the people's poverty.

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines President and Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo earlier issued a statement calling on all government officials to stop the operation of STL.

"The Church has seen the ugly effects of gambling in the lives of the people, especially the poor. Gambling destroys the very moral fiber of the people," said Lazo in his pastoral statement.

He also urged officials to make a stand against STL.

"I appeal to the conscience and moral principles of our political leaders to protect the very people they swore to serve from being destroyed by STL and the culture of gambling in general," said Lazo.*NPB

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