DAGUPAN CITY–As if the numerous gamblings the country has are not yet enough, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will launch another numbers' game called "Keno"

Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, a staunch anti-gambling advocate, said yesterday that "just like any gambling form, it promises excitement plus huge winnings—but as usual, the gamblers are ultimately the losers".

When asked by this reporter how Keno is played, Cruz said in a text message ," Numbers din-hi and low brakets. Tama na ito. Baka ma-arouse ko pa magsugal ang iba".

As he had been emphasizing, Cruz, also chairman of Krusada ng Bayan Laban sa Jueteng (Crusade for Jueteng-Free Philippines), said that like in other gamblings the country already had too much of, the gambling operators are the final winners.

"And watch out for other legalized forms of gambling. They are “under study”," Cruz said.

He said legalized gambling in the Philippines, PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) in particular, trumpets its alleged good works for the poor, for school children, for the common welfare.

"What it does not say is the value system it destroys, the gambling addicts it creates, the families it breaks," he said. Given the pervasive miserable socio-economic situation in the country, gambling can be rightfully considered not only shameful but also criminal, he added.

He said,"One can only wonder what value system and thinking process are being promoted by the present Administration. You are poor, gamble even the little you have left. You are hungry, gamble and have even less food in your table. You are jobless and hopeless, try gambling and become even more desperate and aimless".

He said while someone somewhere might strike it rich somehow through gambling, gambling impoverish thousands. This is the truth notwithstanding all arguments to the contrary, he added.
The prelate said the present Administration is in fact the biggest gambling lord in the country.

" It doest not only have PAGCOR as its official gambling arm. It has even impacted the PCSO with the gambling virus. It does not only promote legalized gambling but also tolerates illegal gambling," Cruz said.

He said jueteng is definitely back in many provinces and masiao is much alive. With these two back to normal, Cruz said their operators are back in business:. "The poor are again exploited. The gullible continue to be fooled. And their money ultimately land in the fat bank accounts of the gambling financiers and their protectors and well chosen beneficiaries," he said.

"Casinos here and there. Bingo in big malls. Lotto and Easy 2 practically everywhere. Video Carrera and Fuit Game in the neighborhood. Lotting and Bookies in many streets and corners. Add hereto the forthcoming PCSO Small Town Lottery (STL) and the gambling list becomes longer. You name it and this country has it," Cruz said.