Nagpahayag ng pagtutol si Kalibo Bishop Jose Corazon Tala-oc kaugnay ng pagpayag ng pamahalaan sa pagbubukas ng mga casino sa Boracay island.
“Ako po ay umaapela sa Pangulo ng ating Republika na huwag niyang hayaan na maging pasugalan ang Isla ng Boracay,” sabi ni Tala-oc sa isang pastoral letter.
“I also appeal to our leaders in the province not to allow gambling casino that will destroy our cherished island,” dagdag ng arsobispo.
Uusbong ang kultura ng pagsusugal sa isla kapag pinayagan ang mga casino, sabi ni Tala-oc.
Magpinsang paslit nagkayayaang maligo sa lawa, nalunod
“Gambling promotes not only indolence but also dependence, contrary to the work and industry for people to earn their living and contribute to the economic development of their community,” pagpapaliwanag ni Tala-oc.
“Gambling progressively creates first the habit, then the vice, and ultimately the addiction to the game of chance. This gradual takeover of the human psyche by gambling is a big personal liability that can become no less than a socio-affective disorder,” dagdag niya.
Pagbibigay-diin ng arsobispo “hihina at tuluyang masisira ang moral na pagkatao” sa pagsusugal.
Sabi ni Tala-oc, ang popular na isla ay “God’s gift to Aklan and to the world.”
“It has become a family destination, a venue for educational advancement and entrepreneurship,” saad ng arsobispo.
“It offers a wider avenue for employment, [a] good source of livelihood for our people and revenues for the government. There is so much that Boracay island can offer because it is already a paradise,”dagdag niya.
Hinikayat ng opisyal ng simabahan ang mga residente ng Aklan na depensahan ang isla ng Boracay.
“We Aklanons, have the responsibility to take care and protect Boracay. We earnestly pray that the Lord who entrusted this island for us will continue to grant us more blessings,” sabi ni Tala-oc.
“I also call on all our priests in the Diocese of Kalibo, with our parish pastoral councils, lay organizations, movements, associations, and societies to form discerning groups and say ‘No to Gambling Casino, No to Gambling in Boracay.’”
Analou de Vera
