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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Laid-off ABS-CBN employees face unemployment anew due to eSabong ban

Laid-off ABS-CBN employees face unemployment anew due to eSabong ban

Published Sep 2, 2022 03:01 pm

An ex-employee of television network ABS-CBN, who had been laid off by the company after its franchise renewal bid failed, finds himself in another situation where he's set to lose his job again, this time, due to the closure of the eSabong industry.

Michael Bulaong

"Pag nawalan po ako ng trabaho ngayon wala na po akong pupuntahan kasi bukod sa age ko, ang hirap na pong mag-apply sa iba, kasi halos ‘yung iba po ang mga kinukuha nila e mga newly graduate," ex ABS-CBN employee Michael Bulaong, a satellite engineer, said as eSabong has yet to return in the country.

Bulaong said that he was the only one supporting his family with a two-year-old child, and his experience of losing his job once has been very challenging for their finances.

"Parang guguho na po ‘yung mundo ko. Talagang wala na po kaming makakapitan pa na kompanya. Hindi ko nga po alam kung paano ko sasabihin sa kanila (pamilya) kung sakaling mawawalan po ako ng trabaho ngayon kasi nangyari na sa amin noong una mas masakit naman ngayon," Bulaong added.

Bulaong said that he hopes that the government understands that eSabong has an entire ecosystem behind it ranging from vendors, farmers, bankers, media production, and poultry workers, not only the gaming and betting part.

Nestor Parane

Echoing the same sentiments, Technical Director Nestor Parane also said that the fear of losing their jobs hounds them every day as the government has yet to decide on the return of eSabong.

"Hindi namin alam kung hanggang kailangan, kung hanggang ilang buwan, o aabot ba ng susunod na taon. Sa edad kong 47 medyo hirap na táyong makahanap ng ibang trabaho," Bulaon said.

According to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), a total of P5 billion was lost due to the shutdown order.

The $1-billion-industry eSabong was ordered to shut down by former president Rodrigo Duterte after several senators appealed to the chief executive amid the issues surrounding the game.

Before its closure, it generated about P650 million per month since 2022.

The shutdown also reportedly affected around 3.2 million Filipinos as it hit micro and small enterprises found in betting sites the hardest.

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