The suspension of online cockfighting or e-sabong may have impacted the livelihood of about 3.2 million Filipinos that come from the various businesses built around the game fowl industry.Aside from the employees of licensed e-sabong operators, many agricultural and blue-collar workers from businesses like commercial farms and backyard breeders, game fowl buyers, feeds producers and veterinary services have been experiencing a direct negative impact when their main source of livelihood was suddenly put to a halt.On the other hand, adjacent micro and small enterprises like sari-sari stores that used to thrive, especially during cockfighting derbies have seen their businesses dwindle.Online betting stalls that hired workers at the height of the popularity of the game have found themselves unemployed since May.Among those severely affected are employees of Elvira Tan whom she had to let go after the ban was enforced.“’Yung mga tauhan ko. Walo sila. Lahat tinanggal ko na kasi ano pa ibabayad ko sa kanila,” said Tan, who owns an online betting stall along Quirino Avenue in Quezon City.“Wala, hikahos talaga sila. Kung makikita nyo lang halos hindi na sila kumakain, kukurutin talaga puso nyo. Naawa ako kasi wala naman sila ginawang masama o nilabag na batas tapos sila ngayon nagdudusa,” she shared.At its height, the e-sabong industry was estimated to be generating around P650 million per month in revenue for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor).At least P1.37 billion was collected from the seven licensed e-sabong operators from January to March 15, 2022. When e-sabong was shut down, Pagcor projected a revenue loss of up to P5 billion for the rest of 2022.Filipinos without jobs have reached 2.93 million in May, higher than 2.76 million in April, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).Former President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the termination of e-sabong last May 3.According to Ellaine Gorobao, HR Manager of Lucky 8 Star Quest, which is one of the seven e-sabong operators licensed by Pagcor, the company was forced to retrench 350 of their employees without the benefit of a 30-day notice as they complied with the suspension order. “The sudden order of Pagcor to stop our operations immediately caught us by surprise. Stop operations agad-agad. Wala ng trabaho bigla. Wala man lang 30-day notice,” Gorobao said.Before ending his 6-year term, however, Duterte expressed “regret” over his decision on e-sabong, even encouraging lawmakers to re-assess its possible resumption. “E-sabong gives the government P642 million a month. In one year, it gives the government billions,” Duterte said.The country has already lost at least P2 billion in revenues, which could have been used to finance the country’s Covid-19 response, education, and infrastructure among others.