PAGCOR Operators Donate $4m to Fight Coronavirus

  • Gambling operators are donating $4m in equipment and cash to battle COVID-19
  • Medical supplies are being donated to hospitals and regions most in need
  • Every licensed gambling operator in the Philippines has its own non-profit division
'donate' written with lettered dice
A number of gambling operators in the Philippines are making significant donations to help battle the coronavirus pandemic. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Supporting the government’s efforts

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has revealed that four of its licensed casino operators have pledged to donate more than $3.9m of essential equipment and items to the government to help with the battle against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The operators are coming together in order to provide food, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment to local government facilities and hospitals. These types of supplies and items are vital in the fight against coronavirus. 

Multiple operators making donations

Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. is donating 100,000 coronavirus testing kits, N95 masks, and an assortment of protective equipment to the Department of Health. These items will need to be delivered from South Korea and China after obtaining an official Food and Drug Administration permit. Solaire Resorts and Casino will also be donating masks and protective equipment to medical staff across the region. 

delivered from South Korea and China after obtaining an official Food and Drug Administration permit

The Okada Manila Foundation is giving a monetary donation worth $980,000 to the Philippine General Hospital. This money will go toward buying protection equipment, validator machines, alcohol, masks, and testing kits. 

The charity department for Melco Resorts and Entertainment Philippines Corporation Foundation, Melco Resorts, and the City of Dreams Manila are giving 125,000 food packs worth $980,000 to the President’s Office.

The Travellers International Hotel Group is the operator for the Resorts World Manila. It is contributing a $980,000 sum to fund protective equipment, thermometers, and other important supplies. It will also be buying grocery packs that will be handed out to different communities by local groups. 

Charitable efforts of the PAGCOR operators

Each PAGCOR-licensed operator is required to create a non-profit body as part of its operations. A certain percentage of each company’s annual gross gaming revenue is donated to charitable bodies. These funds are then used to preserve the environment and the culture of the country, as well as provide funding for health and education programs.

Since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, President Duterte has told the head of the country’s gambling regulator, Andrea Domingo, to prioritize sending these charitable funds to health programs. Domingo is in charge of deciding which areas and hospitals should be prioritized for these funds.

Impact of COVID-19

The spread of the coronavirus has affected countless people across the world to date. Many casino companies and sports betting operators have been feeling the brunt of this pandemic.

Tourism has shut down along with casinos and major sporting events. This has seen the share prices of gambling companies tank, while debts continue to mount up and job losses look inevitable. 

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