Mabilog: Gambling spot to boost local tourism industry
Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said yesterday he is in favor of the establishment of a casino in the city as it could boost the local tourism industry.
He said several businessmen have approached him about opening a casino although “nobody yet has presented an official offer.”
“A casino here will be a major component in the promotion of our tourism industry,” the mayor said in a City Hall press release.
Mabilog said the city hosts a lot of tourists and business people, including foreigners, and they may want to stay longer if there is such an attraction.
The mayor, however, clarified the establishment of a casino does not mean he is encouraging Ilonggos to be gamblers.
The plan is to replicate the practice in Seoul, South Korea where local residents are not allowed to enter the casino, he said, adding that location will not be a problem because several areas are available.
Mabilog said he is leaving it to the City Council to decide if and when there is an offer to operate a casino in the city.
The mayor though has denied receiving offers for the operation of “jai-alai,” saying it is illegal and will never be allowed in Iloilo City.
A poker room, however, has been operating in Boardwalk area, an entertainment and leisure area, since December last year.
The opening of the All-in Poker Sports Club drew mixed reactions although the council of Brgy. San Rafael in Mandurriao district where Boardwalk is located has endorsed the operation of the establishment.
But from the start the Catholic church have opposed the entry of the poker room as the Church is opposed to any form of gambling, Msgr. Meliton Oso of the Jaro Archdiocese then said.
Oso had also said lives of several families have been shattered after a casino operated in the city long ago.
The Church had also actively opposed the entry of the Small Town Lottery years ago, but STL was eventually allowed to operate in Iloilo City.
Oso said the government should not only consider the taxes it will generate out of the gambling operations but also the moral aspect of the issue.*NLG