Obviously, we should respect the religion and the beliefs upheld but what about those who are not Catholic and would wish to continue to gamble? Does religion have the right to be included in conversations regarding gambling if their beliefs cloud their judgement?
The way they talked about gambling, it seems to not be a religious criticism anymore, but a matter of public concern from society in general. Depending the impact of gambling in one society, you can have as consequence social collapse, when many people start playing deliberately, compromising the funds of their families.
It's natural that entities like Catholic Church manifest themselves on this issue, as they watch the country collapsing.
I'm not saying that is what happening for real in Philippines, but it's a possibility. Personally, I believe it's very wrong that third world countries have a large portion of their citizens engaged in gambling practice. Gambling should be particularly popular in first world countries, where people can afford to lose money.