SENATE Majority Leader Joel Villanueva on Thursday called on the government to revisit its policy on gambling in order to protect the youth.

“I have been a legislator for more than 20 years now and I am still confused as to what kind of policy are we implementing here. Are we saying that the State should be regulating and at the same time operating gambling institutions?” he said.

The senator issued the statement in reaction to the proposal to abolish the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation amid the continuous operations of illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in the country.

“Ano ba talaga ang state policy natin?” Villanueva said. “Do we really encourage our people, our young people to depend on the game of chance or we ask them to magsunog ng kilay, mag-aral mabuti, magtiyaga magtrabaho nang husto para magtagumpay sa buhay kasi parang masyado nang maraming gambling dito sa ating bansa.”

“We have to really make that decision especially for our next generation if we think of our young people as our hope of this nation,” he added.