Integrity, probity and honesty, honor, rectitude and
decency, nobility, goodness and sincerity – these are some of the more commonly
understood and professed ethical values associated with “Daang Matuid.” And
rightly so. The opposite symbolic gross and detestable road – something like
the “Daang Baluktot” – is the way of graft and corruption, deception and
duplicity, fraud and trickery without excluding immorality and debauchery.
To the delight and jubilation of the general public, the national
leadership at the start of its tenure of office, proudly claimed and loudly
proclaimed the option of following the road of the righteous – the “Daang
Matuid” – a claim which is now sadly causing only strong doubts but utter
dismay. And rightly so – even if only for the infamous fact that the present
government is the biggest gambler in the country.
It can be said that both hands of the present national
leadership are full of syndicated gambling in terms of no less than two fully
grown and fully blown government controlled and owned by gambling corporations.
There is the infamous PAGCOR in its right hand plus the shady PCSO in its left
hand. Both are gambling syndicates. Both are gambling cartels. And yes, both of
them categorically belie the “Daang Matuid” hurrah of the Palace occupant. To
say or claim otherwise is hypocrisy if not insanity.
Bacarat. Black Jack. Craps. Faigow. Roulette. Slot Machines.
Stud Poker. Etc. These are but some of the official gambling forms promoted and
found in PAGCOR. Lotto. Keno. Small Town Lottery. Loteria ng Bayan, etc. These
in turn are some of the formal gambling modules nurtured and disseminated by
PCSO. This is not to mention Jueteng,
Masiao, Suertes, Fruit Game, Hataw, Video Camera, etc., that are some
complimentary gambling modules ably tolerated by the Chief-in-Command. To date,
there are at least 17 “legal” and 34 “illegal” forms of gambling. All of them
are alive and well. All of them are commonly known in the municipalities,
provinces and regions where gambling moguls delightfully operate then.
Taking into account the big number of gambling formats in
the Country – the “legal” plus the “illegal” plus the “legalized” ones – it is
an exercise in futility for the national leadership to continue claiming the
patronage of “Daang Matuid.” To do so is downright hypocrisy. To say otherwise
is plain deceit. Why oh why? Gambling equals addiction. Gambling equals
avarice. Gambling is indolence. Gambling is vicious.
Meantime, it is good to take note of the following: A good
number of people know that PAGCOR is eagerly looking forward to the opening of
the “Philippine Las Vegas” or something the like, and thereby enable it to
provide the national leadership with more money to do what it wants. Meantime,
PCSO is losing money – courtesy of EZ@ - a Jueteng ally. Truly: It’s more fun
in the Philippines!
