It’s that time of the year again when the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) spreads love to thousands of less privileged individuals under the care of charitable institutions nationwide.

In this year’s traditional Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR, the state-run gaming corporation is allocating P22.4 million for a 13-day gift-giving activity which will run from December 6 to 21, 2016.

About 13,000 individuals – including persons with disabilities (PWDs), special education students, abandoned and orphaned children, soldiers, day care teachers, senior citizens, street families, children with critical illnesses, indigents and minority groups – were chosen as beneficiaries of the project. The said beneficiaries will be coming from 41 charitable institutions and non-government organizations that look after the less-privileged and neglected sectors of the society.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo, who will spearhead this year’s gift-giving event, said that sharing the agency’s blessings to those who belong to the marginalized sectors of the society is one of the core values of PAGCOR.

“This Pamaskong Handog project is a worthwhile undertaking. Not everyone is jubilant when Christmas comes due to different reasons and circumstances. So in our humble way, we will try to reach out to those who need our help the most. This, I believe, is the real essence of the Christmas season,” she said.

Apart from providing them with eventful celebrations, PAGCOR will also gift them with wonderful presents.  The state-run gaming firm will be donating P2 million to each of these institutions namely: the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Educational Benefit System Office, the Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc., and the National Children’s Hospital (NCH).

The AFP Educational Benefit System Office will utilize the said amount for the AFP Scholarship Program that has currently enlisted 1,833 children of military personnel who were either killed in combat or totally incapacitated.

The Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Inc., which runs the Our Lady of Peace Hospital in Parañaque City, will use the P2 million to purchase medical equipment for its Emergency Room such as cardiac monitors, fetal monitor, medical oxygen manifold system, ECG machines, infusion pumps and syringe pumps.

Meanwhile the NCH, which has been a recipient of PAGCOR’s financial aids in the previous Pamaskong Handog events, will use the money to help cover the cost of surgeries of indigent kids suffering from congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract and urogenital organs.

Aside from cash donations, the said institutions will also receive Christmas gift packs containing noche buena goodies during a PAGCOR-hosted Christmas party for the beneficiaries.

PAGCOR’s 2016 Pamaskong Handog will kick-off on December 6, 2016 at Parañaque National High School. Close to 300 Special Education (SPED) and working high school students will be treated to an exciting Yuletide program complete with meals and entertainment.

In Metro Manila, the institutions that will benefit from PAGCOR’s gift-giving project this year include the Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled in Cubao, Quezon City; the Concordia Children’s Services, Inc. in Sta. Mesa, Manila; Daycare teachers and senior citizens from Manila, Pasay and Paranaque; the Kaibigan Ermita Outreach Foundation in San Andres Bukid, Manila; the Mandaluyong City Federation of Senior Citizens in Mandaluyong City; the senior citizens of Pampanga; the Haligi ng Bata, Inc. in Quezon City; the Operations Blessings Foundation Philippines, Inc. in Pasig and the Dumagat Remotados Indigenous People of Antipolo.

Aside from these organizations, Casino Filipino branches and satellites will also conduct separate gift-giving activities in 23 selected charitable organizations in casino host communities nationwide.

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