The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has inaugurated its first socio-civic center in Occidental Mindoro, providing a much-needed venue for community events and a safe refuge during severe weather conditions.

The two-story building, constructed with a P50 million peso grant from PAGCOR, will benefit residents of Mamburao’s 15 barangays and neighboring municipalities.

The center is part of PAGCOR’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, which intends to promote community development and provide support to communities.

Occidental Mindoro Governor Eduardo B. Gadiano, who led the unveiling of the facility with PAGCOR Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Ramon Stephen R. Villaflor, expressed his gratitude to PAGCOR for bringing the first socio-civic center to the province.

“This facility will greatly support various community activities and will provide a safe refuge during severe weather conditions,” Gadiano said.

“When not used as a venue for socio-civic events and as an evacuation facility during calamities, we can rent out this space to individuals and organizations and generate revenues for the building’s maintenance,” the governor added.

Villaflor said the socio-civic center project is a proof to PAGCOR’s commitment to contribute to nation-building.

“It is also our response to the call of the people from Occidental Mindoro to have a facility that will not only serve as a shelter during calamities but also as a venue for community development and fundraising efforts,” he added.

To date, PAGCOR has completed and inaugurated 45 socio-civic centers nationwide, with 28 more facilities nearing completion.

In a separate development, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco expects the country’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) to reach a record high of between P450 billion pesos and P480 billion pesos this year.

The projection is supported by the P40 billion pesos in GGR reported in January, an increase from P28.5 billion pesos in the same month last year.

Tengco attributed the growth to the improved performance in the electronic games sector.

“I believe it will come from e-gaming, and I believe the trend in January will continue,” he said. “We will continue to attract unregistered players to register because of the rates that are now comparable to the license fees of online gaming jurisdictions around the world.”

Photo: courtesy of PAGCOR Website