BUKIDNON 3rd District Representative Audrey Tan Zubiri has called for greater accountability and transparency from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), amid an unprecedented surge in online gambling revenues.
Speaking at the House Committee on Appropriations hearing today, Zubiri urged a comprehensive review of PAGCOR’s operations, emphasizing that the agency must prioritize the welfare of Filipinos over profit.
“I hope we are not seeing a reversal of roles ‘no? Because as we all know, PAGCOR is supposed to be used to raise revenues for the benefit of the Filipino people and not the other way around” Rep. Zubiri said.
PAGCOR’s Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) from online gambling reached a record-breaking Php135.7 billion in 2024, marking a 309% increase from the previous year. The upward trend has continued into 2025, with electronic games alone generating Php106.5 billion in just the first few months.
While acknowledging PAGCOR’s significant financial contributions to the national government, Zubiri cited concerns about how these funds are allocated and the adequacy of regulatory oversight in the rapidly expanding online gambling sector.
One key issue she highlighted was the lack of monitoring and auditing of all licensed online gambling platforms, stressing the need to ensure compliance with laws and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation, after finding out that some applications do not have strict measures.
“It bothers me because I was under the impression that PAGCOR is fully monitoring our legal online platform games, but now it appears that even the legal are not fully monitored,” she stated.
Zubiri also raised concerns about PAGCOR’s regulatory framework and business model potentially harmful gaming behavior. She called on the agency to adopt a stronger stance against illegal gambling operations and urged collaboration with major tech firms to remove unauthorized gambling apps from platforms such as Google Play, the Apple App Store, and social media.
In addition, Zubiri raised the gap on revenue transmittals, stating these funds be directly remitted to PhilHealth, instead of passing through the Bureau of Treasury, to help achieve zero balance billing in hospitals and ensure more efficient and transparent fund management.
“Baka now it’s time to revisit that law, and maybe PAGCOR should remit directly to PhilHealth because I am sure napakaraming taong nangangailangan sa mga pondo na ‘yan,” Zubiri emphasized on the allocation of PAGCOR’s revenue.
She further called for an investigation into the sale and transfer of gaming licenses, citing concerns that such practices could be exploited by bad actors to bypass regulatory safeguards.
