Naga City Officials to Decide Fate of STL, Others

Naga City, April 19, 2011 – How the city government decides on pending new applications to operate Small Town Lottery (STL) may determine Naga City's long term policy on gambling.

City mayor John Bongat, who believes that Naga City does not need gambling revenue to survive, has vowed to make Naga gambling-free, taking no exception even to STL and other virtual games that are legal under existing laws. Mayor Bongat's stance is in sync with the pronouncements of local Church leaders and runs counter to that of his immediate predecessor, ex-Mayor Jesse RObredo who, as the current secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), strongly supports the strengthening of the STL operations nationwide as alternative and deterrent to the illegal numbers game, jueteng, and as ready source of fund's for charity works of local government units.

The public pulse on the issue shall be tested on May 4, 2011 when the Committee on Games and Amusements, headed by Atty. Salvador del Castillo conducts a public hearing on new STL operation applications. Atty. del Castillo refuses to give comments as yet to avoid pre-empting his committee's recommendations. "“It’s better to wait for the result of the public hearing so that the committee will have basis when asked for opinions," he says.

Naga City Council Secretary, Gil de la Torre who announced the public hearing was mum about the identities of the STL applicants and the persons who drafted the proposals.