A party-list lawmaker has appealed to critics of e-sabong to give it a chance as he highlighted the sectors that benefit from the proposal to regulate online cockfighting.
“I remain in favor of online cockfighting for the simple reason that it helps a lot of people. When properly regulated, it is not the work of the devil; rather it is a usual source of livelihood for poor Filipinos,” Ako Bisaya party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon said as he dispelled the common notion that e-sabong is “evil.”
According to Lagon, the pandemic has severely affected the cockfighting industry, with health restrictions causing the closure of over 3,000 cockfighting arenas nationwide.
This has led to loss of jobs for thousands of Filipinos connected to game fowl activities, he said.
Lagon, vice chairman of the House Committee on Games and Amusements, said giving e-sabong franchisees the license to operate would be welcomed by several sectors that benefit from the industry by extension.
The solon mentioned commercial breeders, which number 60,000; backyard breeders, 30,000; and poultry supply stores, which are estimated at 14,000 nationwide.
He added the feeds industry and veterinary products sector would also both receive a windfall as a result of an active game fowl industry.
And then there are the online cockfighting operators themselves, like the Pitmasters Foundation under the the United Association of Cockpit Owners and Operators of the Philippines, Lagon said.
“Last month, the Pitmasters Foundation distributed 100,000 food packs and hygiene kits to families in Visayas, Mindanao and Palawan that were affected by typhoon ‘Odette.’ In the end, these are individuals who know their civic responsibility and have genuine care for their countrymen,” he said.
“It’s time for us to lend a hand. Through this kind of legislation, we can do that with a clean conscience,” he added.