Manila, July 20 -- The government is still reviewing the broader implications of banning all forms of online gambling, amid snowballing calls to impose a total ban over numerous cases of Filipinos falling into financial ruin due to "gambling addiction," Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Sunday.

Bersamin, in a media interview, was asked whether President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will announce a total ban on online gambling in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) later this month, like he did in his SONA last year when he banned Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

"Well, the policy remains the same... the President is very strong about POGOs, banned na 'yan (POGOs are already banned)," Bersamin said.

He clarified ...