“JUETENG”

History has proven that where there is gambling, there is corruption. And among the “games of chance,” jueteng is arguably the most corrupt gaming system in the Philippines. Most of our culture being a Filipino, aside from Spain came from China. One of these is what we called "Jueteng" came from Chinese word "Jue" as flower and "teng" means Bet. What exactly is jueteng? Jueteng is an illegal numbers game played in almost all of the provinces of the Philippines.  Most of our fellow less fortunate countrymen try their luck with this illegal gambling practice. It became a day to day routine for them being part of their daily lives.

"Kubrador" or Jueteng collector goes around the neighborhood every day and shouting what's the winning numbers. While they were living off an illegal occupation, most of the citizens were also living off an illegal betting especially those in rural places or in populous urban areas. Gambling is the favorite past time of most Filipinos. The term “anak ng jueteng” -- son of a gambler -- is as popular as its American counterpart, “son of a gun.”

The game is played by picking two numbers and placing a bet on those two numbers. Bets can be as low as 25 centavos.  It is more popular with the poor and middle class Filipinos. Certainly, from out of 38 numbers they will only be betting for two numbers and it’s actually only around 24% of chances of winning. Sometimes they bet a number wherein it came from an issue or a certain things the happened. Each of every number has its corresponding meaning such as for example 32 means crazy, 35 means blood and etc... etc...

This kind of gambling pictures most Filipinos how they do such thing as culture. Believe it or not most of time the winning numbers were actually came from what had really happened. It is like a game of life that measures ones patience with waiting for their numbers to come out. Jueteng is indeed an illegal gambling for the reason that no single of cent is being paid to the government by means of tax.

With this kind of practices by most Filipinos Betting with the Jueteng, has been a way life for the poor Filipinos. They know that jueteng will never make them rich. However, they know that if they win, it will give them happiness even for just a day. Yes, to the hopeless poor, jueteng gives them a glimmer of hope to dream for a better day. But to the jueteng lords, their profits provide them with high-flying lifestyle and the means to propagate a corrupt “padrino” system, and lord over the people they bleed with their meager earnings who barely make their ends meet.

For as long as there is poverty, jueteng will be around. But jueteng breeds corruption which is the root of poverty.  Indeed, it’s vicious cycle that perpetuates a vice that is eroding the moral fiber of our society. It is also indeed a part of most Filipino lives where it evolves. Jueteng as a student especially in Criminology is a big “no-no” for me and for my family in the future or as much as possible today.