What do you think is the best way to deal with the problem of jueteng in our country?

CZAR STEWART NICOLAI SUMALPONG, MANILA: The government benefits from the taxes of legal gambling games. On the other hand, some government officials gain from illegal gambling activities. If jueteng is legalized, sooner or later other illegal gambling activities will surface.

ELMO CRUZ, MANILA: What is the problem with jueteng anyway? It does not bother authorities and operators and even helps the church or politicians with their needs. Jueteng means livelihood for some, hope for others.

Part of RP culture

Edwin Chinel Monares, Rizal: Gambling is part of Philippine culture. The best way to deal with it is a combination of stern law enforcement, effective communication and improvement of people’s lives. An expanded anti-jueteng law, which would effectively put the operators, the protectors, the beneficiaries and the bettors behind bars and pay huge fines should be passed. Effective communication should be carried along with the involvement of the civil society and the church to report names involved in the jueteng cycle in the community.

Robert Young Jr., San Juan: Legalize it. Jueteng, like cockfighting, has been part of the Filipino culture since time immemorial. Why not make it a source of revenues, instead of letting the money go to the pockets of jueteng lords and some government officials? If cockfighting and lotto are legal, why not jueteng?

Matda Reglos, Ilocos Norte: There’s no way we can deal with the problem of jueteng in our country kasi ang mga mamamayan ay addict na rin dito. Wala na’ng pag-asang malutas ang jueteng sa ating bansa lalo na at malalaking tao rin ang nasa likod nito. Gawin na lang itong legal.

C.B. Manalastas, Manila: Panahon pa raw ni Limahong, may jueteng na. So if you can’t beat them, join them. As Erap said, let’s legalize jueteng na lang.

Rudy Tagimacruz, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon: Jueteng has deeply gnawed into the economic fiber of millions of our poor who depend on it as their livelihood.

Felix Ramento, USA: Yes, jueteng has already become a way of life for our people: as part of our culture and a source of livelihood for the poor. No doubt, only the corrupt will cry if we legalize jueteng.

Harsh punishment/rewards

Concepcion Gaspar, Laoag City: The government should provide alternative jobs to jueteng collectors and severe punishment to jueteng operators and protectors.

Alexander Raquepo, Ilocos Sur: Catch and jail jueteng lords, penalize LGUs which allow jueteng activities and raid all jueteng dens while establishing livelihood alternatives for “kabos” and other jueteng workers.

Pitts Hizon, Pampanga: The government should exercise the full force of the law against jueteng lords and their protectors.

Leonard Villa, Batac: P-Noy must simply issue a stern warning that governors and mayors who fail to put a stop to jueteng in three days shall be suspended from office for 90 days. That will work.

Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan: What else but legalize or make jueteng a heinous crime for bet collectors with rewards for those who will run after them?

Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City: To stop jueteng is quite easy. Charge in court any local or national official who intervenes in this issue.

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: Sanctions? We have just seen on TV the social costs of being an OFW. How I wish the government extends its hands to help people involved in this issue instead of talking about sanctions.

Send cops/watchers

Stephen Chua Vigan City, Ilocos Sur: The government should send cops or watchers to areas where there are jueteng operations.

Jueteng earnings, benefits

Roberto Amoyon, Metro Manila: Well, if we are losing P9 billion to jueteng, why not legalize and benefit from it? Baka di lang P9 billion ang makuha natin diyan.

Jose Fabello Jr., Cagayan de Oro City: Problems related to jueteng will all be solved if the numbers game is legalized.

Joan C. Cejes, Makati City: As the saying goes, “If you cannot beat them, join them.” Legalize jueteng. It’ll generate revenues for the government and jobs for the people anyway.

Diony Yap, Bacolod City: Legalize jueteng. This way, revenues will surely go to our government.

Jim Veneracion, Naga City: Just like casino and cockfighting, the best way to deal with jueteng is to legalize it. No more payola.

Luisito Vallo, Pangasinan: Legalize it so that the government can have another source of revenue instead of just a few corrupt persons benefiting from it. Stopping it is not an option as jueteng has been etched in our culture since time immemorial.

Naty Cacdac, Quezon City: Legalize jueteng.

Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City: Jueteng is a source of livelihood to many poor Filipinos. If the government cannot stop it, then legalize it to raise revenues for the national coffers.

Ruel Bautista, Laguna: If you can’t beat them, join them. Legalize it.

Richard Decena, Quezon City: Legalize jueteng at gamitin sa livelihood program ang income dahil hindi mapipigilan ang mga walang disiplinang sugarol at wala rin naman silang magagawa.

Joel Cayetano, Bulacan: I think the best way to deal with the problem of jueteng is to legalize it. Jueteng can be considered a source of livelihood and recreation for some.

Lydia Reyes, Bataan: Well, legalize the operation and impose taxes.

Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City: Legalize jueteng and integrate it together with small town lottery.

Mark Cenon, Singapore: Legalize it and make “legal” money out of it.

Erap’s proposal

Dennis Montealto, Mandaluyong City: This is not an original proposition. Former President Erap supported the legalization of jueteng in order to generate revenues for the government, since it is into gambling anyway, that’s why we have PAGCOR.

Decriminalize jueteng

JC Punongbayan, Quezon City: “Decriminalizing jueteng and subjecting it to regulation and taxation will help eradicate the great rents that have long corrupted public officials, emboldened gambling lords, and made underground operations more profitable. Meanwhile, prohibiting jueteng and waging an all-out war against it is certainly the worst response government could make. History provides many dramatic examples of the dire consequences of prohibition, notably America’s war against alcohol in the 1920s, and Mexico’s drug war in recent years.”

One-strike policy

Deo Durante, Camarines Sur: The “one-strike policy“ that was implemented by the PNP in order to stop jueteng in our country was a welcome move. However, our PNP top brass was not too naive not to take the loot or grease money out of this poor man’s vice.

Fixed period

Ruben Viray, Antipolo City: Since jueteng is already a part of Filipino culture, I believe it should be legalized but only for a fixed period, say two or three years, to give the government ample time to create livelihood programs for those who will be affected if the numbers game is stopped.

Reputation at stake

Lourdes Gayle Gamilde, Ilocos Sur: Legal or illegal, I’m still not in favor of jueteng. Do not take gambling as a form of earning. Jueteng lords benefit from this, so do some winners. However, what kind of reputation will our country have?

Elpidio Que, Vigan: If jueteng is legalized as proposed, can you imagine kubradors swarming all over the streets taking bets from people? Would that not be utterly shamefulSaying that jueteng is a source of livelihood for thousands of kubradors is pure baloney.

More to come

Rico Fabello, Parañaque City: Legalize jueteng and other forms of gambling will be established tomorrow. If the government has plans to stop jueteng, it must be done as soon as possible. 

All-out-war

Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte: The first step is to wage an honest-to- goodness, all-out-war against jueteng while strengthening the small town lottery.

Elizabeth Oximer, Negros Occidental: Pakulam na lang natin kaya ang jueteng lords? Pero talaban naman kaya sila?

Cris Rivera, Rizal: Our authorities must shed off their ningas cogon attitude. Do not apprehend the kubradors and kabos, that won’t help. Getting the jueteng lords will.

Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City: If the government really wants to get a slice of the cake in the form of taxes, then legalize jueteng. But if the government intends to eradicate it, then ban all kinds of gambling in the country, legal or illegal. If found existing in a particular place, put to jail the officials concerned.

Forget about jueteng

Jesus Mendoza, Pangasinan: Just forget about jueteng for the meantime. We must focus rather on more urgent issues like drug trafficking, smuggling and corruption.

No bettors, no jueteng

Kelvin Casamayor, Ilocos Sur: The best way is to get people to stay away from this infamous gambling game. Kung walang tataya, walang jueteng.

Dr. Gen Padilla, Valenzuela City: Jueteng will not stop if we just go after officials, police, jueteng lords and runners. We must eliminate by all means the source: The bettors.

Jeffrey Villar, Capiz: Actually, jueteng is not the problem. The major major problem are those who tolerate it.

Col. Dencio Acop (Ret), Baguio City: Legalize jueteng and be done with it. Decrease ourselves by doing so. But, are we even capable of this final act of self-denial? Right now, no!

Legalize it with restrictions

Rey Onate, Palayan City: The best way to deal with the problem of jueteng is to declare a province where it is legally allowed to operate. Any operator/s conducting jueteng outside the legal area shall be hunted like a murderer and killed immediately.

J.R. Mondoñedo Jr., Parañaque City: Simple: Just make it legal like lotto. It can be incorporated in all lotto outlets, or a kubrador can go to those people who want to place bets but who don’t have the time to go to jueteng/lotto outlets. But the kubrador must issue receipts.

Darius Manabat, Makati City: Former President Estrada had a point comparing lotto and jueteng. What’s the common denominator of the two? They’re both forms of gambling. Then, why is lotto legal unlike jueteng?

Higher jackpot

Norberto Robles, Taguig: Entice jueteng bettors to shift to STL by having PCSO increase the prize, say two times more than the pot offered by jueteng operators.

Televised draw

Patrick Miranda, Marikina City: Legalize jueteng. It should be run by PAGCOR or PCSO. Like lotto, the draw should be televised live. Earnings should be used to directly benefit the poor.

It’s up to P-Noy

Tony Gomez, Parañaque City: If the President wants to stop jueteng, it can be stopped. There is a chain of command and he can remove anyone in this chain to eliminate jueteng.

Noel Alquiza, Metro Manila: The outcome of the fight against jueteng depends on the sincerity, integrity and dedication of public officials.

Gia Felicci Mathilda Alonzo, Ilocos Sur: The best way to deal with jueteng is for the government to arrest and punish jueteng lords. But perhaps, this won’t work because many government officials are leaning towards jueteng.

Form of discrimination

Nony de Leon, Malolos City: Of course jueteng should be legalized and taxed. Keeping it illegal is like discriminating against those who cannot afford more costly forms of legalized gambling such as casinos, lotto, horse-racing, cockfighting, sweepstakes, bingo, raffles and others.

Seek media’s help

Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City: Use the media in exposing that jueteng is a fixed game and not a game of luck as poor people believe. This way, jueteng will die a natural death.

Against God’s will

Desuel Pardo, Mandaluyong City: Since jueteng is already the culture among poor Filipinos who pin their hopes on luck, the government and concerned investors must create jobs for the gullible people. Churches must always remind the people that gambling, legal or illegal, is against the will of God (Exodus 20: 17).

Terminal stage

Ed Gulmatico, Bacolod City: Just like cancer, once jueteng enters the terminal stage in the life of Filipinos it will be incurable. They pin their hopes on this numbers game. On the other hand, once legalized, corruption related to jueteng will be minimized if not totally diminished.

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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