TACLOBAN City, July 26, 2010— The operations of state-run Small Town Lottery in Eastern Visayas will likely top the agenda of the clergy there when they meet next month.

Fr. Amadeo Alvero, Palo archdiocese’s spokesman, said the meeting on August 4 to 5 will give them a chance to come with a consensus on crucial issues in the region, including the STL.

Alavero said the church still believe that gambling, whether legal or illegal, is likely “to bring more harm than benefits” to the region.

The Archdiocese of Palo is headed by Archbishop Jose Palma who is currently the vice-president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is currently managing STL operations in Tanauan, Leyte and in Maasin, Southern Leyte since last May.

Zenaida Delantar, provincial head of PCSO, said STL operations will remain despite opposition from various civil society groups and church leaders.

She said that the existence of the numbers game would still depend whether the Aquino administration would continue or scrap STL.

“They have the final say if we are still going to continue this, after all, we just implement what we they are mandating,” Delantar said. (Alvin P. Cardines)