RAISING funds to defray the cost of government programs and projects need not come from sources deemed as dubious, says an advocate group representing migrant workers.

In a statement, Advocates and Keepers Organization AKO OFW Inc. chairman Dr. Chie Umandap likewise assailed efforts to revive the so-called e-sabong, an online betting scheme embarking on cockfighting.

By his own admission, Umandap agreed that the government is duty-bound to raise funds to cover the cost of education, health and infrastructure among many other government programs.

He, however, finds it rather immoral for the government to revive what has already been restricted in view of documented social damages.

“In my humble opinion, there are other ways where we can generate revenue, and definitely legalization of e-sabong is not one of them,” Umandap said.

Citing inside information, the AKO-OFW chair took a swipe at what appears to be a well-funded lobbying operation primarily designed to sway the Philippine Congress to come up with a resolution which would effectively allow the controversial e-sabong.

During a budget hearing conducted by the House Committee on Appropriations, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman Al Tengco hinted at the need to raise more funds, alluding to the P6 billion annual revenue that the government has been missing in view of the ban imposed on e-sabong.

“Definitely, sayang din po yung nawalang income. Well, we have studied it and have a few suggestions, and we believe we can enhance the structure or the guidelines [that] were then before. But until a law or an order [from the] President of the Philippines comes out, our hands are tied,” Tengco told the committee.

However, Umandap finds it rather improper to revive a dubious online betting scheme which has inflicted more insurmountable social damages, even as he insisted that cockfight betting should be limited inside the cockpit arena.

“Ang e-sabong ay isang klase ng sugal na pumapasok sa pamamahay ng pamilyang Pilipino… nakakasama at nakakasira sa lipunan. Ang sabong ay dapat sa sabungan lang, hindi sa bawat bahay ng ating kababayan.”

“Marami na ang nabaon sa pagkakautang dahil dito, maging sa ibang bansa,” he added, in reference to the predicament of some overseas Filipino workers who sought help from the AKO-OFW group so they could go back to the Philippines after ending up as e-sabong big losers.