The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) plays Santa Claus and gives a merrier, more meaningful Christmas to almost 9,000 individuals through its 12-day nationwide gift-giving mission "Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR 2010 - 12 Days of Christmas".

From December 9 to 20, 2010, PAGCOR will conduct the Christmas gift-giving mission in 24 charitable institutions in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, and in various communities where its provincial casino branches operate like Angeles, Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Laoag, Olongapo, and Tagaytay.

The Pamaskong Handog Project is the state-gaming firm's way of sharing its blessings to the less privileged and often neglected sectors of society, a part of PAGCOR's advocacy as a compassionate, caring institution.

Maricar Bautista, PAGCOR's Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications, said the gift-giving event will cover numerous marginalized sectors of society. "It will benefit orphans or abandoned children, the elderly, cancer patients in charity wards, deaf and mute, the disabled, mentally ill adult patients, inmates, special children, babies afflicted with medical illness like hydrocephalus, retired and wounded soldiers" she added.

The project's concept "12 days of Christmas" is a take-off from the popular Christmas song that celebrates the Season for 12 straight days through the giving of gifts each day. "Two charitable institutions will be visited everyday in Metro Manila and other nearby provinces like Bulacan and Antipolo, Rizal. Each beneficiary will be getting practical gifts like clothing, toiletries, packs of rice, canned goods and other basic commodities that will be useful for them," said Bautista.

PAGCOR is giving priority to institutions that are not receiving much help. "Many centers are already blessed with generous benefactors, but there are many more lacking or needing help. Our goal is to reach out to these less known charitable institutions in the hope that we can also help generate awareness and support or backing for their advocacies," Bautista said.

According to Bautista, the charitable centers will get a donation in kind from PAGCOR worth P50,000 to P100,000 which will be for the long-term use of the center. "The institutions were asked about their wish list and PAGCOR will grant them, depending on the needs of the center and the individuals under their care," she said.

Some charity wards will be given nebulizers, oxygen tanks, and syringe for extraction of bone marrow of cancer patients. PAGCOR will also donate a considerable amount to 24 children suffering from hydrocephalus to help defray cost for their treatment.

Surprise celebrity artists are expected to join the "Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR 2010" to provide a little entertainment for the beneficiaries. PAGCOR officials will also be there to spend time with the recipients.

The provincial Casino Filipino branches of PAGCOR will likewise hold their own gift-giving activities to charitable institutions and poor, indigent communities in their localities. Some branches even had their own fund-raising activities to support their outreach programs.

"PAGCOR employees have always been concerned, responsive citizens. They are always happy to be of service to their immediate communities, especially the needy," said Bautista.

This is the first time in its 24-year history that PAGCOR is conducting such a massive gift-giving mission for the less fortunate. The state-gaming firm plans to make the activity a yearly tradition.

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