The Philippine horseracing industry is currently experiencing a resurgence after facing challenges from the pandemic and e-sabong. However, there are still individuals bent on compromising the integrity of the sport for the betting public. In the past 15 racing days from July 19 to August 13, the average daily bet from the public was P21-M. If this trend continues at the Metro Turf Club Incorporated (MMTCI), the total public bets for the year will reach P4.3-B in just 208 days. This increase in public confidence has also led to higher prizes for horse owners, jockeys, trainers, and other sectors of the industry.
Unfortunately, the MMTCI Board, under the leadership of President and CEO Atty. Narciso Morales, shocked the industry when a race-fixing incident occurred on August 4. The incident involved Race 8, which had 14 entries and was won by KABOOM with Jockey JA Guce. The favorites in that race, BAHANDI, NARDS BENTETRES, and ELECTRIFY, all lost in what seemed like questionable rides. The total amount of Winner takes all (WTA) bets was P4,321,336, and only six winners were placed on KABOOM, with each winning a hefty dividend of P466,704.
After investigation, the MMTCI Board suspended the jockeys involved in the race-fixing incident. Additionally, jockey RD Raquel, who was implicated in coordinating with the participants of the race, was banned from entering MMTCI premises for 60 days with a warning that his license would be revoked if he commits another offense. The board made it clear that they would not tolerate any deliberate attempts to fix races and threatened to file criminal and civil charges in court to protect the industry and the betting public.
This is the first time a racetrack owner or racing board has taken such a public stance against race-fixing in the horseracing industry. The success of their efforts to clean up the industry will greatly depend on the support and cooperation of government regulatory agencies, such as the Philippine Racing Commission (PHILRACOM) and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB). Unfortunately, there have been instances where Philracom officials have failed to properly address or punish race-fixing incidents, which has led to public outrage.
It is crucial that the integrity of horseracing is maintained to prevent incidents like the violent reactions to deliberate losses in the past. The MMTCI Board’s determination to file civil and criminal charges against race fixers deserves recognition, but it remains to be seen how the regulatory agencies will respond.
In addition to these developments in the horseracing industry, it is important to address the challenges faced by the poorest Filipino families. Rising prices of oil, public transport fares, rice, and the depreciation of the Philippine peso are making life even more difficult for these families. The poverty level set by the Philippine Statistics Authority is currently at P12,030 a day for a family of five, and around 20 million Filipinos are living in poverty.
At the same time, the wealth of the 50 richest Filipinos has increased from $70-B to $80-B in just three months. This glaring wealth disparity highlights the need for the rich to be taxed more in order to provide assistance to those in need. The government should allocate these funds to increase the health budget, provide food subsidies, and expand assistance programs for families facing crises.
Overall, the efforts of the MMTCI Board to combat race-fixing and the need for wealth redistribution to address poverty are important issues that require the attention and action of relevant regulatory agencies and government officials.
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