The Diocese of Kalibo reiterates its consistent and firm opposition to gambling and expresses its deep concern over the recent opening and operation of a casino in Boracay, Malay, Aklan.
READ: Aklan diocese decries Boracay’s first casino
We make this statement not out of hostility toward any person, business, or worker, but out of our pastoral responsibility to uphold the dignity of every human person, the welfare of families, and the common good of our communities.
Boracay is a precious gift entrusted to us. It provides a livelihood to thousands of families and welcomes people from many parts of our country and the world. Its development should therefore be measured not only by economic activity and revenues, but also by its effects on human life, family relationships, the poor and vulnerable, and the moral and social fabric of our communities.
The Church and gambling
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in paragraph 2413, teaches that games of chance and wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. However, it warns that gambling becomes morally unacceptable when it deprives a person of what is necessary for his or her own needs or for the needs of others. It also gives this serious warning: “the passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement.”
This teaching reminds us that the issue is ultimately about human freedom, responsibility, and the proper use of material goods. Money intended for food, children’s education, medicines, household expenses, savings, or livelihood should never be sacrificed to gambling or to the hope of easy money.
Our concern is also about the concrete consequences that gambling can bring to individuals, families, and society. Gambling can lead to financial distress and debt. It can consume resources intended for basic family needs. It can contribute to conflict between spouses, broken relationships, and neglect of children, and, in serious cases, to other forms of social harm.
We must therefore look beyond the economic benefits that a casino may bring. We must also ask: What happens when a family’s savings are lost to gambling? What happens when money meant for food, education, or medicine is gambled away? What happens when a parent becomes enslaved by the hope of winning back what has already been lost?
These are not merely economic questions. They are questions about human dignity, family life, and the common good.
Our appeal to government
We respectfully appeal to the Provincial Government of Aklan, the Municipality of Malay, and all concerned government authorities and agencies to exercise their responsibilities with the welfare of the people as their foremost consideration. Economic development is important, but development must always remain at the service of the human person. Profit cannot be the sole measure of progress.
We likewise appeal to our faithful: Let us not allow the promise of easy money to weaken the values of honest work, responsible stewardship, and family solidarity.
Parents, protect the resources entrusted to you for the welfare of your children. Teach your children that genuine success does not come from chance, but from perseverance, honest work, responsibility, and God’s providence.
For those who are already struggling with gambling, let us respond not with condemnation, but with compassion, truth, and concrete help. A person who has become enslaved by gambling needs the support of family, community, as well as, appropriate professional assistance.
Let us also be especially attentive to the poor and vulnerable, who may be particularly susceptible to the promise of quick financial gain.
A call to conscience
Our concern ultimately goes beyond the question of whether a casino is legally permitted. The deeper question is: What kind of community do we want to build?
Boracay does not need gambling and casinos to prosper. Its beauty, its culture, its hospitality, and its natural gifts are already treasures that can support a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry.
We therefore pray and work for a Boracay where tourism serves the human person; where economic development strengthens rather than weakens families; where businesses contribute to the common good; and where the beauty of the island is matched by the dignity and well-being of the people who live, work, and visit there.
The Diocese of Kalibo remains steadfast in its opposition to gambling and the operation of casinos and in its commitment to the dignity of every person, the welfare of families, and the common good of our communities.
May our pursuit of development never make us forget the very people whom development is meant to serve.
For the Diocese of Kalibo:+ CYRIL VILLAREAL, D.D.
Bishop of Kalibo
4 July 2026
