Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
By Miriam G.Desacada
Borongan City ( Eastern Samar)–4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan on Tuesday has sounded the alarm over the explosive spread of online gambling via mobile phones in the Philippines, describing it as a “hidden scourge” that is draining family resources, ensnaring the youth, and corroding the moral foundations of Filipino society.
“Mobile gambling has quietly turned smartphones into digital betting machines. This is no longer just a tech issue—it’s a moral emergency. Our laws must evolve swiftly before this invisible threat tears more Filipino households apart,” Libanan said in a statement.
Rep .Libanan is poised to be elected House Minority Leader of the 20th Congress, which will convene its first regular session on July 28. He previously held the same post in the 19th Congress.
“We are preparing urgent proposals to clamp down on mobile-based gambling platforms, especially those targeting Filipinos through social media, paid influencers, and algorithm-drive advertising,” Libanan said.
On the otherhand ,he cited growing anecdotal reports and personal appeals from families devastated by loved ones who gambled away tuition money, life savings, and even borrowed funds chasing false hopes of easy winnings.
“Online gambling is being sold to Filipinos as casual fun,” Libanan said. “But behind the flashy graphics is a digital vice preying on the desperate—the poor, the unemployed, and the young are especially at risk.”
He called on the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to enforce tighter controls and roll out sustained public education campaigns on the dangers of mobile gambling.
“Each tap, each spin, each wager is a step deeper into a system that monetizes desperation and disguises danger as play,” Libanan warned. “We cannot stay indifferent while a generation is quietly dragged into financial ruin through these so-called games.”
He also urged parents, teachers, and faith leaders to speak out and take an active role in protecting young people. “Government alone cannot fight this battle,” he said. “We need homes, schools, and churches to treat online gambling not as a private shame, but as a public threat.”
“No child should be raised in a household broken by gambling losses. No parent should gamble away their family’s future. We must act decisively—before it’s too late,” Libanan emphasized. Miriam G.Desacada
