The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) shared the true meaning of Christmas to juvenile delinquents and children and persons with mental and physical disabilities who are under the care of four institutions in Cavite and Laguna during the 17th day of its ongoing “Bayanihan: Pamaskong Handog ng 2012.

PAGCOR distributed Christmas grocery packs, personal hygiene kits and other gifts to about 100 persons with mental and physical disabilities from Bahay San Rafael, St. Raphael School for Special Children, and Bahay San Jose in Cavite, and 25 youth offenders under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Center for Children in Conflict with the Law (CCCL) in Laguna.

Apart from the supplies of basic commodities, the Bahay San Jose received a stand fan, ceiling fan and light bulbs. PAGCOR also funded the renovation of its comfort room and repair of hanging cabinets for the use of its beneficiaries who are suffering from cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.

PAGCOR meantime pledged to give St. Raphael School for Special Children musical instruments such as drums, tambourine, xylophone, egg shakers, triangle, maracas, flutes, harmonica, guitar and and a piano organ for their music room. The school caters to the education and health needs of children with mental disability. PAGCOR also gave DSWD-CCCL quality mattresses to augment the needs of the juvenile children and youth under their care.

The gift-giving activities in said institutions were spearheaded by PAGCOR’s Casino Filipino Tagaytay employees. PAGCOR allocated more than P300,000 for the conduct of the Pamaskong Handog event in Tagaytay which ran for three days and benefited 622 individuals in 12 institutions. Of the total budget spent for the gift-giving, P72,000 came from personal contributions of Casino Filipino Tagaytay employees who are members of the WE CARE Committee. The branch’s employees have been actively conducting socio-civic programs for marginalized locals.

Casino Filipino Tagaytay Senior Branch HR Officer Bong Perez shared that PAGCOR’s gift-giving events create an impact not only to the lives of the beneficiaries but also to PAGCOR employees like him.

“These noble gift-giving activities give us the opportunity to spend our time and even our resources if needed to people who have less in life. In a way, this ignites the spirit of sharing in us and encourage us to reach out to those who are less privileged,“ Perez cited.

Bahay San Jose House Mother Lourdes Brual said Casino Filipino Tagaytay has been consistently helping them even on ordinary days. “Even before pa, maraming employees na ng Casino Filipino Tagaytay ang nagbibigay ng donations sa Bahay San Jose.”

She was grateful that PAGCOR saw their need again by considering them as one of the beneficiaries of PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog 2012. “Maraming salamat at kami ay napili ng PAGCOR sa Christmas gift-giving event na ito. Nakita nyo naman ang aming lugar, luma na. Napakalaki ng tulong sa amin ng PAGCOR. Salamat sa pagpapagawa ng aming comfort room at paglalagay ng hanging cabinets. Malaking tulong ito sa aming mga inaalagaan,” she said.

Brual added things will be harder for them without the donations and the help of volunteers who are kind enough to offer their time in serving the BSJ patients. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank everybody in PAGCOR. Ang ganti namin ay prayers sa inyong pagtulong sa amin. Hindi man makapagpasalamat ang aming mga alaga, alam namin na lubos kayong nakatulong sa kanila,” she said.

DSWD-CCCL Nutritionist Lorna Nair said any support given to the center and the children by concerned companies like PAGCOR means a lot to them. “Maraming salamat po sa tulong na naibigay ninyo sa kanila lalo na ngayong Kapaskuhan. Salamat po at naiintindihan ninyo ang pangangailangan ng mga bata.“

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