CEBU’s archbishop-designate Alberto Uy has made a direct appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to impose “a total and permanent ban” on online gambling in the country.
In a statement July 24, Uy, the outgoing bishop of Tagbilaran, called the spread of online gambling a “silent yet devastating storm” that destroys lives, breaks families and corrupts values.
“Do not allow this poison to continue spreading into the homes, phones, and hearts of our people,” said Uy.
“No amount of government income or corporate gain can justify the loss of human dignity, the breakdown of Filipino families, and the exploitation of the poor,” he said.
Uy criticized government efforts to regulate online gambling as insufficient, saying regulation “cannot prevent addiction,” “cannot undo the damage” and “cannot protect the poor.”
He urged Marcos and lawmakers to prioritize the protection of human dignity and families over government revenue and corporate profits.
“Our nation has overcome many trials because we have always drawn strength from our faith, our family, and our love for the common good,” he said. “Let us not allow this vice to erode the very foundation of our moral strength.”
Uy also called on Filipino families to reject online gambling, support those struggling with addiction, and participate in community awareness and prayer campaigns.
“Choose life over luck,” he said. “Choose honesty. Choose holiness. Choose a future free from the chains of gambling.”
The bishop’s appeal came about two weeks after the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines raised the alarm on online gambling, which has reached some e-wallet platforms.
The CBCP urged the government to put controls on online payment systems to make it harder for people, especially the youth, to access online gambling sites.
Pope Leo XIV recently appointed Uy as the next archbishop of Cebu to succeed now retired Archbishop Jose Palma.
He will formally assume his new ministry on Sept. 30, 2025.
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