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MAKING up the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines are
three cardinals, seven archbishops and about 80 bishops.
Some—notably Bishops Oscar Cruz of Lingayen and Antonio Tobias of
Novaliches—are vocal critics of the administration of President
Arroyo and just about anything it does.
Thus, when the state-owned Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) unveiled its plan to build a
90-hectare resort-cum-gambling complex fronting Manila Bay,
observers expected the bishops to condemn the administration once
more.
Surprisingly, the CBCP’s statement on the Las
Vegas-style project sounded downright insipid.
Published accounts had Archbishop Angel Lagdameo
of Iloilo saying that the CBCP remains consistent in its “stand
against all forms of gambling, legal or illegal.” The CBCP
president, however, went on to say that the bishops were “not
completely opposed” to the Las Vegas-style development, which
Pagcor has billed as a tourism center—but they “they will object
to the element of gambling.”
The CBCP’s surprisingly mild reaction may have
been due to the fact that three retired bishops—Maximiano Cruz of
Calbayog, Cirilo Almario of Malolos and Manuel Sobreviñas of
Imus—were highly visible participants in the Pagcor project’s
groundbreaking ceremonies last week.
“I believe they blessed [the project] and
hoped and prayed that everything will turn out for the good of the
people,” Lagdameo said of Cruz, Almario and Sobreviñas, adding
that “the former bishops’ participation was their choice and
that their actions were beyond church authorities’ control.”
Lagdameo’s published statements were scored by
other church members, one of whom wrote that the CBCP had again done
a Pontius Pilate.
“This is the group who, in the face of the ZTE
Broadband fiasco, issued the statement that ‘all of us are to
blame for the corruption’,” wrote an obviously exasperated
layman. “If all of us are to blame, then no one is to blame.”
Whether or not one congregant’s infuriation
over the CBCP’s stance on the Manila Bay strip represents the
sentiment of most Filipinos, we would have to call on the
professional pollsters to find out. But going by the brisk business
that state-owned casinos in various parts of the country have been
making, the lure of a Manila Bay strip a la Las Vegas is one
temptation many Filipinos—along with gamblers from
overseas—would probably find hard to resist.
Gambling bandwagon
Proponents of the Manila Bay strip point out
that several other Asian countries—including formerly strait-laced
Singapore and South Korea—have already jumped into the gambling
bandwagon. However, their model of choice is Macau.
Gambling is illegal in China—where offenders
face a penalty of three years in prison—except in Macau.
About an hour or so by ferry from Hong Kong, the
former Portuguese colony has a population of just a little over half
a million and a land area that is about two-thirds of the City of
Manila’s. Nevertheless, Macau’s gross domestic product amounted
to over $17 billion in 2006. Its economy has been growing at an
average rate of 13 percent annually.
With so little land, a tiny population and few
natural resources, what has made it possible for Macau to generate a
per capita income of $28,853? Answer: gambling.
Last year some 25 million tourists swarmed Macau—mostly
to try their luck on gaming tables and slot machines.
Even when it was still a Portuguese colony,
gambling was already Macau’s main source of revenue. Soon after it
reverted to Chinese control in 1999, however, gambling experienced
spectacular growth.
In 2004 Chinese authorities ended the
four-decade gambling monopoly of Stanley Ho’s STDM. Ho continues
to operate 16 casinos, which are still regarded as crucial to
Macau’s gambling industry, but he now has to deal with foreign
competitors such as Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy
Entertainment Group, the partnership of MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho
Chiu-king and the partnership of Melco and PBL.
The Sands Macau is now the world’s largest
casino as measured by total number of table games. After the Wynn
Macau opened in 2006 gambling revenue from Macau’s casinos
surpassed the Las Vegas’s $6 billion or so. Macau is now the
highest-volume gambling center in the world.
Will the Manila Bay strip envisioned by Pagcor
be able to match Macau’s stunning success?
Wanna bet?
People’s hour
DENR Secretary Lito Atienza reinforced his
“action man” reputation with last week’s launch of what he
calls People’s Hour. Along with other top officials of his
department, Atienza personally received and took immediate action on
requests for assistance from the public.
“I have initiated the People’s Hour
precisely to facilitate decisions and expedite the DENR’s response
to environment and other issues that citizens bring to our
attention,” Atienza said.
During Atienza’s first People’s Hour, the
DENR’s help was sought on such issues as land cases, requests to
transport coal and for a cutting permit. More important, the
secretary got several tips on illegal logging in several parts of
the country.
Atienza said the People’s Hour will become a
regular part of his work schedule every Thursday.
dansoy26@yahoo.com
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