More losing jobs due to e-sabong suspension
IT is believed that the suspension of e-sabong had a major effect on the number of jobless people in the country.
The June 2022 Labor Force Survey of PSA showed that more than 2.9 million Filipino are jobless with most of them coming from small businesses like retail online or direct sales.
According to the Samahan ng Game Fowl Feed Millers at Agri-vet Suppliers, P19 billion had been lost due to the suspension of e-sabong.
On the part of the United Association of Cockpit Owners and Operators of the Philippines, Incorporated (UACOOP), there are more than 1.5 million full time and part time cockpit operation employees.
Some 265,000 are employed in the allied farm industry like feed millers and agri vet suppliers.
According to UACOOP, only 10 percent of this number remained employed or with jobs.
Numerous workers in online betting stalls at the height of e-sabong’s popularity also lost their jobs.
Among them are employees of Elvira Tan.
“Yung mga tauhan ko. Walo sila. Lahat tinanggal ko na kasi ano pa ibabayad ko sa kanila,” said Tan, owner of an online betting stall along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.
“Wala, hikahos talaga sila. Kung makikita ninyo lang, halos hindi na sila kumakain, kukurutin talaga puso n’yo. Naawa ako kasi wala naman silang ginawang masama o nilabag na batas tapos sila ngayon nagdurusa,” she added.
At the height of its popularity, the e-sabong industry was projected to generate P650 million earnings for PAGCOR.
Earnings collected from seven licensed e-sabong operators from January to March 15 reached at least P1.37 billion.
PAGCOR estimates a P5 billion loss for 2022 as a result of e-sabong’s suspension.
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