Tue| 06.21.2022 | 1:30 PM

PAGCOR’s VP for Corporate Social Responsibility Group Ramon Stephen Villaflor (4th from left) and San Jose del Monte City Mayor Arturo Robes lead the unveiling of the marker of the brand-new multi-purpose evacuation center funded by the state-run gaming firm. Joining them in the photo are the agency’s AVP for Community Relations and Services Eric Balcos (3rd from left), San Jose Lone District Representative Florida Robes (2nd from right) and other city officials.

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan – A spacious state-of-the-art evacuation facility here funded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) was inaugurated on June 20, 2022 a year after its construction began.

The multi-purpose evacuation structure, classified as a Scheme 2 building worth P29.7 million is a basketball court-type evacuation facility complete with amenities such as comfort rooms, a stage area and bleachers. It is built in the city's Barangay Minuyan Proper, which is home to tens of thousands of urban poor relocatees from Metro Manila.

According to Mayor Arturo Robes, the PAGCOR-funded facility was the first of its kind to be constructed in the city as most of their evacuation centers – such as school buildings and gyms – are not as sturdy and appropriate for accommodating calamity-affected residents.

"Lubos kaming nagpapasalamat sa PAGCOR na kami'y nabiyayaan ng ganito kaganda at kamodernong pasilidad na masisilungan ng mga residenteng aming inililikas tuwing may matitinding kalamidad. Bukod sa napakalawak ay napaka-komportable rin nitong pagdausan ng napakaraming espesyal na programa dito sa aming lungsod," Robes said.

Joining Robes in the inauguration of the facility were key officers from PAGCOR and other city officials.

Meanwhile, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo said more multi-purpose evacuation centers (MPECs) will be formally unveiled in the coming days as the state-run gaming firm has already completed the building of emergency facilities in various locations in the country considered as calamity-prone.

"We expect more provinces and communities to benefit from this project very soon since most of those whom we granted fundings for the construction of MPECs have already finished building their respective evacuation centers," Domingo expressed.

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