The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) hosted festive Christmas celebrations for over 1,600 elderly in Pampanga and Mandaluyong during the ninth and tenth days of the agency’s 2016 Pamaskong Handog project.

Some 1,000 members of the United Pampanga Senior Citizens Organization (UPSCO) and over 600 members of Mandaluyong Federation of Senior Citizens were treated to fun-filled Christmas parties on December 16 and 17, respectively. Aside from the festive celebration, they received gift packs containing noche buena staples like ham, spaghetti noodles, fruit cocktail, cheese, among others.

UPSCO President Linda David – whose group gathered the senior citizen chapters from the various municipalities of Pampanga to take part in PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog – shared that it’s not every day that an organization approaches them to bring happiness to their members. David is blessed because her children are all successful in their chosen fields. But she continues to actively advocate for the rights of less privileged elderly through the UPSCO because majority of the senior citizens in Pampanga are not as fortunate as her. “Marami sa aming mga miyembro ay hindi naman mayayaman. Kaya ang organisasyon ay gumagawa ng paraan para yung mga well-off na senior citizens dito matulungan yung walang-wala, especially sa mga gamot.”

David added that the one percent annual internal revenue allocation of the local government for the elderly sector is likewise not enough to sustain the needs of their indigent members. “Hindi lahat ng one percent allocation ng local government ay napupunta sa senior citizens. Kahati namin diyan ang mga persons with disability. Kaya masaya kami dahil may mga tao at organisasyon kagaya ng PAGCOR na handang tumulong. Masayang-masaya din kami dahil pinaghandaan ng PAGCOR ang Pamasko para sa amin ngayong taon. To PAGCOR Chairman Didi Domingo, our former Congresswoman whom we respect and admire, thank you for giving us a Christmas celebration that we will all remember,” she said.

Seventy-five year old Lolita Ocampo from Sta. Rita, Pampanga, one of the attendees of PAGCOR’s gift-giving event affirmed that most of their members are indigents. “Karamihan sa mga miyembro namin sa Brgy. San Jose, Sta. Rita Chapter ay talagang nangangailangan ng tulong. Yung iba, walang pangpagamot...yung iba nagpapa-dialysis. Kaya maswerte kami dahil nabigyan kami ng pansin ng PAGCOR sa ganitong paraan. Sana matulungan din ninyo kami lalo na sa mga pangangailangang medical,” Ocampo said.

During the gift-giving event in Pampanga, PAGCOR’s Asst. Vice President Arnell Ignacio reiterated that the state-run gaming firm has always been there for the Filipinos especially for the marginalized sector. “Ang PAGCOR po ay itinatag para tumulong dahil malaking bahagi ng aming kinikita ay napupunta sa taong-bayan at iba’t-ibang sektor ng lipunan kagaya ninyo. Please always remember that PAGCOR cares for you,” he assured.

Meanwhile, in Mandaluyong, Federation of Senior Citizens President Elvira Dominguez was also grateful for the Christmas cheers brought to them by PAGCOR. "This is the first time that we experienced such huge activity hosted by PAGCOR. Meron kaming party pero hindi kasing-bongga tulad nito. Hindi naman kami makaka-afford ng ganito na may entertainment pa tulad ni Eva Eugenio. Tuwang-tuwa talaga kami dahil nabiyayaan kami ng Pamasko ngayong taon" she said.

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