More than P200 million worth of essential items will be donated by the Entertainment City casino licensees of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to boost government's efforts in fighting the rapidly evolving Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In coordination with PAGCOR, the Foundations of the four Entertainment City operators teamed-up to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), food and medical supplies to hospitals and Local Government Units (LGUs) in areas where they are most needed.

Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of Solaire Resort & Casino, will be donating P60 million worth of PPEs and N95 Masks to the Department of Health (DOH). These will be distributed to medical frontliners in various hospitals dealing with COVID-19 patients.

To augment the needed supply of the government for testing COVID-19, BCFI will also procure 100,000 test kits that are currently available in China and South Korea, as soon as they get the clearance and permits from the Food and Drug Administration.

On the other hand, Okada Manila Foundation will be donating P50 million to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) to buy COVID-19 testing kits, PPEs, validator machines/testing machines, masks and alcohol.

Melco Resorts and Entertainment Philippines Corporation Foundation, the charitable entity of City of Dreams Manila developer, will give 125,000 food packs worth P400 each or a total of P50 million, to be turned over directly to the Office of the President.

Meanwhile, Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. (operator of Resorts World Manila) through its Resort World Philippines Cultural Heritage Foundation, Inc. (RWPCHFI) allocated P50 million for the procurement of PPEs and infrared thermometers, as well as other essential items.

The equipment will be turned over to public hospitals such as Pasay General Hospital, Ospital ng Parañaque 1 and 2, PGH, local governments of Pasay and Parañaque and the National Capital Region Police office. RWPCHFI will also purchase grocery packs which will be handed out directly to community beneficiaries.

According to Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo, PAGCOR has authorized the Entertainment City casinos to use the funds of their respective Foundations for these COVID-19 efforts.

"Our licensees are required to establish a Foundation. A percentage of their gross gaming revenues are set aside for these charitable entities whose funds are used for projects related to cultural heritage, education, environment and health," Domingo said.

The PAGCOR Chief added that 70% of the Foundation's total funds is allocated for environment and health. "We were instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte to prioritize projects that would benefit the health sector. Hence, PAGCOR and our licensees have been working together to provide quality healthcare services and infrastructure.

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