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Senators open to limiting lotto jackpot


At least three senators on Thursday said they are open to limiting the lotto jackpot to P500 million, as proposed by a lawmaker at the House of Representatives. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said it was "okay" to put a ceiling on the pot, but that it shouldn't be done right now when the prize for the 6/55 Grand Lotto is already over P600 million. "Why should you do that? Pag napanaluhan na yun saka ba babaguhin, wag na ngayon (When somebody has already won, that's when they should limit the jackpot, not now)," he told reporters in an interview on Thursday. Enrile issued the statement after Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone filed resolution directing the House committee on games and amusements to look into the possibility of limiting the lotto jackpot to P500 million. Evardone, in his resolution, said the over P600 million jackpot prize has caused "widespread compulsion" to play among the people, including those who normally would not engage in gambling. He said this "tends to run counter to the PCSO vision to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino people." Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Senator Francis Escudero, for their part, said that it's up to the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) to decide on the issue. "Pwede, depende, tanungin natin ang PCSO ano ang pananaw nila (It depends on the view of the PCSO)," Sotto said in a separate interview on Thursday. "Nasa sa kanila na yon kung saka-sakali pero kung lilimitahan man yung premyo dapat lahat ng sobra hindi na mapunta sa PCSO, hindi na mapunta sa government share, mapunta na lahat dapat sa charity (It's up to the PCSO, but if they do limit the pot, whatever's left should be given not to PCSO or the government, but to charity)," Escudero said. Senate Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, however, opposed the idea. "The more, the merrier. Bakit lalagyan ng ceiling? Kahit umabot ng isang bilyon, swerte-swertehan lang yan. It’s a game of chance. Pero sana ang mga mahihirap ang manalo (Why would they put a ceiling? Even if the jackpot prize reaches P1 billion, it's still a matter of luck. That's a game of chance. But I hope the poor people win)," he said. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMANews.TV

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