CABANATUAN CITY – Prodding the government to instead focus on strengthening values education and step up fight against corruption and poverty, the Catholic Church in Nueva Ecija maintained its position against the opening of a new casino in San Leonardo town.
Armed with the pastoral letter earlier issued by the Ecclesiastical Province of Lingayen-Dagupan, priest and lay presiders in the Dioceses of Cabanatuan and San Jose De Nueva Ecija stressed during Masses and bible services the ill effects of gambling in the community, including the increase in cases of suicide and other forms of criminality.
Rev. Fr. Sedfrey Calderon of the St. Nicholas of Tolentine, one of the biggest parishes in the province, would not cite numbers but said a dramatic increase in suicide cases has been reported in Las Vegas when casinos were established there.
“Sa casino, ang nanalo lamang talaga ya ang mga nagpapatakbo nito,” said the priest in a Mass recently.
“Ang pagbubukas ng karagdagang mga casino ay tiyak na magbibigay daan pa sa mas malubhang katiwalian at kahirapan sa pamilya ng mga nagsusugal,” parts of the pastoral letter signed Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-DagupanArchdiocese, Bishops Sofronio Bancud of Cabanatuan, Mylo Hubert Vergara of San Jose City, Jacinto Mendoza of Urdaneta, Marlo Peralta of Alaminos and Artemio Rillera of San Fernando, La Union and Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba of Lingayen, all of the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Lingayen, Dagupan.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic-family organization, readily rallied behind the drive saying the group which has council in practically every parish area stands to promote family values.
Ruel Tecson, master of the four degree, said they will bring the campaign down to their members.
“The Church said these casinos will destroy families and values…that is true,” said Tecson which has jurisdiction over several Luzon provinces, including Nueva Ecija and the rest of Central Luzon.
The Catholic bishops expressed belief that the livelihood initiatives undertaken by President Benigno Aquino III’s mother, the late chief executive Corazon Aquino. These include micro financing, which they said will do best to improve the lives of the poor Filipinos. “Such program continues to grow in many parts of Luzon.”
The Church also opposes building casinos in Urdaneta, Pangasinan.
Fr. Calderon also noted an apparent irregularity in the construction of the casino building along Diversion, Maharlika Highway, San Leonardo which is almost finished but has no billboard to indicate the purpose of the building, as well as the issuance of permit.
Gov. Aurelio Umali, on his part, said he himself opposed the establishment of casinos when he was a congressman. But he said that he have to respect approved actions of his predecessor. “It was approved by the previous administration and I have to respect it,” he said in an interview.
The bishops, in the same pastoral letter, said they are willing to cooperate with the government in its fight against corruption and poverty.
Armed with the pastoral letter earlier issued by the Ecclesiastical Province of Lingayen-Dagupan, priest and lay presiders in the Dioceses of Cabanatuan and San Jose De Nueva Ecija stressed during Masses and bible services the ill effects of gambling in the community, including the increase in cases of suicide and other forms of criminality.
Rev. Fr. Sedfrey Calderon of the St. Nicholas of Tolentine, one of the biggest parishes in the province, would not cite numbers but said a dramatic increase in suicide cases has been reported in Las Vegas when casinos were established there.
“Sa casino, ang nanalo lamang talaga ya ang mga nagpapatakbo nito,” said the priest in a Mass recently.
“Ang pagbubukas ng karagdagang mga casino ay tiyak na magbibigay daan pa sa mas malubhang katiwalian at kahirapan sa pamilya ng mga nagsusugal,” parts of the pastoral letter signed Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-DagupanArchdiocese, Bishops Sofronio Bancud of Cabanatuan, Mylo Hubert Vergara of San Jose City, Jacinto Mendoza of Urdaneta, Marlo Peralta of Alaminos and Artemio Rillera of San Fernando, La Union and Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba of Lingayen, all of the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Lingayen, Dagupan.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic-family organization, readily rallied behind the drive saying the group which has council in practically every parish area stands to promote family values.
Ruel Tecson, master of the four degree, said they will bring the campaign down to their members.
“The Church said these casinos will destroy families and values…that is true,” said Tecson which has jurisdiction over several Luzon provinces, including Nueva Ecija and the rest of Central Luzon.
The Catholic bishops expressed belief that the livelihood initiatives undertaken by President Benigno Aquino III’s mother, the late chief executive Corazon Aquino. These include micro financing, which they said will do best to improve the lives of the poor Filipinos. “Such program continues to grow in many parts of Luzon.”
The Church also opposes building casinos in Urdaneta, Pangasinan.
Fr. Calderon also noted an apparent irregularity in the construction of the casino building along Diversion, Maharlika Highway, San Leonardo which is almost finished but has no billboard to indicate the purpose of the building, as well as the issuance of permit.
Gov. Aurelio Umali, on his part, said he himself opposed the establishment of casinos when he was a congressman. But he said that he have to respect approved actions of his predecessor. “It was approved by the previous administration and I have to respect it,” he said in an interview.
The bishops, in the same pastoral letter, said they are willing to cooperate with the government in its fight against corruption and poverty.
