SCUTTLEBUTT

Batangas has a dictator?

Tensions flared during the opening session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Batangas after Vice Governor Dodo Mandanas tried to assert his “iron fist” style of leadership as the presiding officer.

Instead of allowing immediate deliberations on the proposed new internal rules of procedure (IRP) filed by 6th District Board Member Bibong Mendoza, Mandanas insisted the measure be first referred to the Committee on Ethics, Accountability and Good Government.

The move drew the ire of 5th District board member Dr. Jun Berberabe and other board members, who argued that the presiding officer cannot deny the motion. “This is not a monarchy,” the board members protested.

Another board member raised concerns about the body’s ability to proceed with its duties and responsibilities without an approved IRP. “How can we conduct a committee hearing without a formal IRP?” the member asked.

Board member Fred Corona tried to broker a compromise, suggesting the body adopt the IRP with amendments “so we can get on with our work.” Mandanas, however, appeared unmoved by his colleagues’ appeals.

Amid the heated exchange, the board members said it appeared that Mandanas was trying to consolidate his control over the provincial board, leading his critics to label him the “Dictator of Batangas.”

Cash cow hard to let go of

The Marcos administration is walking a tightrope as lawmakers clash over the future of online gambling, an industry projected to generate up to P480 billion in gaming revenues this year, driven primarily by digital platforms.

In the first quarter of 2025, gaming regulator Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) contributed P18.9 billion to nation-building projects, a 21.5-percent year-on-year surge. With that kind of money on the table, will Malacañang really pull the plug? Congress is split.

In one corner are the reformers such as Akbayan party-list Representatives Chel Diokno, Perci Cendaña, and Dadah Ismulla, who are pushing for regulation, not eradication, through their proposed Kontra e-Sugal Act.

The bill outlines sweeping restrictions: strict age checks, betting loss limits, bans on campaign contributions from gambling operators, and the recognition of gambling addiction as a public health issue.

But in the other corner, others like Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong aren’t convinced.

“If you want to cut a tree, do not just trim the branches. Go to the very root of the problem,” Adiong said, calling for a total ban.

The battle extends to the Senate, where the majority of the chamber seems ready to draw blood. Senator Migz Zubiri tops his 10-point legislative agenda with a full-on Anti-Online Gambling Act, banning not just platforms but also financial transactions via credit cards, GCash, and other digital wallets.

Zubiri warned that the government may lose P47 billion this quarter alone if online gambling is banned outright—but quickly added that no amount of revenue justifies the moral decay and family breakdown it causes.

He even challenged President Marcos Jr. to take a stand during his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on 28 July, saying his leadership would be defined by how he acts—or fails to act—on the issue.

Not everyone agrees. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants to regulate, not prohibit, warning that an outright ban would drive gambling further underground.

Senator JV Ejercito supports tighter controls, while Senators Joel Villanueva, Pia Cayetano, and Alan Peter Cayetano all filed their versions of anti-online gambling measures, with Alan Peter’s bill targeting ads and promotions instead of the platforms themselves.

Meanwhile, the whispers in PAGCOR’s halls hint at reopening e-sabong--–the lucrative but controversial cockfighting-based online betting activity banned in 2022. The reason? It previously brought in P6 billion in annual revenues before its swift takedown.

The big question: will Malacañang choose morality over money, or will revenue targets keep online gambling alive despite the social cost?

With billions in play and a divided legislature, all eyes now turn to President Marcos and what he’ll say–or not say–at the SoNA.