MANILA – Senator Risa Hontiveros raised concern over the reported ₱1 billion investment of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in DigiPlus, warning that public employees’ retirement funds should not be exposed to the social costs of online gambling.

In her opening statement during the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises hearing chaired by Senator Mark Villar, Hontiveros cited a Commission on Audit (COA) report flagging GSIS for alleged violations of its own policies and guidelines in making certain investments.

“Hindi basta-bastang corporate fund ang pondo ng GSIS. Ito ay bunga ng pagsisikap ng government employees at paghahanda sa ating retirement,” Hontiveros said. “The pensions of our public servants are not gambling chips to be played and lost recklessly.”

The senator noted that GSIS President Wick Veloso had earlier described the DigiPlus stake as a “calculated risk.” But Hontiveros questioned whether such calculations factored in the “alarming and horrendous social cost of online gambling.”

Citing data from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Hontiveros said about 32.1 million Filipinos are engaged in online gambling. A study by Capstone Intel also found that 66 percent of young Filipinos aged 18 to 24 gamble online, with 30 percent of them betting two to three times weekly.

She pointed to cases of addiction and even suicide linked to online betting, stressing that potential revenues could not outweigh the human and social damage. Quoting Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, she said: “The millions GSIS will earn from e-sugal will never be worth the lives ruined and livelihoods lost.”

Hontiveros urged a review of laws and policies governing GSIS’ investment operations, saying retirement funds must only be placed in “safe, stable, and humane” ventures.

“Ang tiwala ng ating mga kawani sa GSIS ay dapat suklian ng maayos at tapat na serbisyo—hindi ng kuwestiyonable at mapanganib na investments,” she said.