WHAT IS PAGCOR?

 

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is a 100 percent government-owned and controlled corporation that runs under the direct supervision of the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines.

The Corporation was created during the Martial Law years by virtue of a Presidential Decree (PD1067-A) issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos in response to calls for the Philippine Government to put a stop to the growing proliferation of illegal casino operations in various parts of the country then. The law creating PAGCOR was later amended and consolidated under PD 1869 otherwise known as the PAGCOR Charter.

 

Under its Charter, PAGCOR was given a three-pronged mandate:

 

1.		Regulate, operate, authorize and license games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers, particularly casino gaming in the Philippines;
2.		Generate revenues for the Philippine Government’s socio-civic and national development programs; and
3.		Help promote the Philippine tourism industry.

 

In June 2007, Republic Act No. 9487 was passed by the Philippine Congress, extending the corporate life of the state-run gaming firm by 25 years, renewable for another 25 years, and prescribing the following amendments to the PAGCOR Charter:

 

1.		PAGCOR can enter into agreements, including joint venture, with any person, firm, association or corporation.
2.		Requirement to obtain consent of the local government authority that has territorial jurisdiction over the area chosen as site for any of PAGCOR’s operations.
3.		Exclusion of jai alai from PAGCOR operations; and
4.		Delimitation of regulatory authority and power over gaming activities covered by other existing franchises, regulatory bodies or special laws.

 

WHAT ARE THE CASINOS RUN BY PAGCOR?

 

PAGCOR operates 13 casino branches in major cities across the country’s three major islands. Collectively called Casino Filipino, these branches are strategically located in areas that are popular tourist destinations:

 

AREA	BRANCH	LOCATION
Metro Manila	Airport Casino Filipino	PIRC Bldg., Ninoy Aquino Ave., Bgy. Sto. Niño, Parañaque City
	Casino Filipino Heritage	The Heritage Hotel, EDSA cor. Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
	Casino Filipino Hyatt-Manila	Hyatt Hotel and Casino, A. Mabini cor. Pedro Gil Sts., Malate, Manila
	Casino Filipino Pavilion	Waterfront Manila (formerly Manila Pavilion Hotel), UN Ave., Ermita, Manila
Luzon	Casino Filipino Angeles	McArthur Highway, Balibago, Angeles City, Pampanga
	Casino Filipino Laoag	Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
	Casino Filipino Mimosa	Mimosa Drive, Clark Field, Pampanga
	Casino Filipino Olongapo	30 Magsaysay Avenue, Olongapo City, Zambales
	Casino Filipino Tagaytay	E. Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City
Visayas & Mindanao	Casino Filipino Bacolod	Casino Filipino Hotel & Casino, Goldenfields Commercial Complex, Singkang Bacolod City
	Casino Filipino Cebu	Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
	Casino Filipino Davao	Grand Regal Hotel Davao, Km. 7, Lanang, Davao City
	Casino Filipino Mactan	Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino Mactan Hotel, #1 Airport Rd., Lapu-Lapu City

 

WHERE DOES PAGCOR INCOME GO?

 

In accordance with its Charter and other governing laws, PAGCOR earnings are distributed as follows:

-		5 percent (5%) of winnings goes to the BIR as franchise tax;
-		50 percent (50%) of the 95 percent (95%) balance goes to the National Treasury as the National Government’s mandated income share;
-		5 percent (5%) of the balance after the franchise tax and the National Government’s mandated income share goes to the Philippine Sports Commission for financing of the country’s sports development programs;
-		1 percent (1%) of the net income goes to the Board of Claims, an agency under the Department of Justice, which compensates victims of wrongful detention and prosecution;
-		Cities hosting PAGCOR casinos are given fixed amount for their respective community development projects;

 

Aside from these, PAGCOR has also been tapped to provide funds for the implementation of vital laws such as the Early Childhood Care and Development program which basically promotes pre-school education and the Sports Incentives and Benefits Act which provides monetary rewards to athletes who win in international sports competitions.  To date, it has released a total of P208.81 million to winning national athletes and coaches who made the country proud in prestigious global athletic events.

 

PAGCOR is also presently waiting for the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for RA 9153 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, funding of which will be sourced from 1.5% of PAGCOR’s annual net income. The state-owned gaming firm is also waiting for the IRR of RA 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 which provides for PAGCOR’s mandatory funding of P500 million (at P100 million per year for five years).

 

The remaining balance of PAGCOR’s income is remitted to the Social Fund to sustain the priority projects of the Office of the President.

 

Apart from its mandatory contributions to various agencies and entities, PAGCOR has also been undertaking major Corporate Social Responsibility projects under the leadership of its present management.

 

Apart from its mandatory contributions to various agencies and entities, PAGCOR has also been undertaking major Corporate Social Responsibility projects under the leadership of its present management.

 

To know more about PAGCOR’s CSR projects, click on this link:  Social Responsibility.