Gambling is life
By Francis Earl Cueto Sunday, February 25, 2007

Life is a gamble, wise men warn. But in the Philippines today—thanks to Pagcor—formally and legally.

Despite the surge of Pagcor income that has succeeded immensely in supporting the cash-strapped government, several lawmakers, nongovernment organizations and especially the religious sector are still firmly against government engaging in the business of operating casinos.

Edward King, spokesman for Pagcor chairman Efraim Genuino, told The Manila Times that first and foremost, one thing that people should remember is that Pagcor is a creation of law.

Pagcor, a government-owned and controlled corporation was established to regulate all games of chance in the Philippines.

It was born in 1976, created by then-President Marcos to oversee the operation of gaming casinos, to generate funds for the government’s developmental projects and to help curb illegal gambling.

An unaudited Pagcor report shows that Pagcor, “a vital arm of the government in nation building, “ netted P25.4 billion in income making it one of the biggest earners for 2006.”

So is Pagcor a proof that casinos and legalized gaming can be a valuable source of government funding and an effective engine for national development?

“We are created by law, we are just following what the law orders us to do. It is not a question that is up to us to decide. We must obey the law,” King said.

Under the law, he explained, Pagcor is required to run casinos.

He said that the most important thing about the government running casinos is that all funds that generated from Pagcor goes back to the government “100 percent.”

“We are operating the casinos but here is where everything lies: 100 percent of the income that we generate goes back to the government,” King said.

The state-run gaming firm surpassed its earlier record-breaking P21.9-billion total annual income in 2004 and breached its target income of P23.41 billion for 2005. It surpassed the P24.5 billion target for 2006 as well.

Pagcor’s 2005 total income of P23.4 billion was 6.8 percent higher than the P21.9 billion it posted a year before.

The issue of privatizing Pagcor is also very controversial, with several lawmakers pushing for it and even more congressmen against it.

King said that while the act can be considered purely from the noble and idealistic viewpoint that government should not be in the business of gambling, one has to think from the point of view of generating funds for the government.

He said that if the government would privatize Pagcor, then all income goes to the private sector leaving only a small amount in taxes being paid to the government coffers.

“If you give Pagcor to the private, they will just be paying taxes. There is a huge difference between a fraction of income from taxes to 100 percent,” King said.

An official from Pagcor who requested anonymity even claimed that perhaps the lawmakers have their own personal agenda. Maybe they want to be the ones who will buy and operate Pagcor, they said.

“Its simple, privatize Pagcor they get the income, the lawmakers may perhaps be getting their own kickbacks from certain lobby groups who want Pagcor for their personal purpose,” the official said.

King merely laughed at the statement of the official adding that he did not want to comment, not wanting to get into trouble with the congressmen.

King, however, added that if Pagcor is run privately, all measures such as that of the antimoney laundering might be removed and the private personalities owning it may use the gaming for the bad purposes that the antimoney-laundering council wants to prevent.

“Pagcor is created by law with the purpose of bringing much needed funds to the government. Certainly if you are run privately mahirap bantayan. How can you impose legislation on it which means how can we protect ourselves now from money laundering, how do we prevent this money going out of the country,” he said.

“We are able to ensure that these things do not happen since the protective mechanism are all in place here. ’Yung mga private casinos for instance maaaring lumalabas iyang pera at magamit for money laundering once they are privately owned,” he said.

“We do what we can,” King said.

King also thanked Congress for granting them a fresh 25-year franchise.

King explained that government departments are dependent on Pagcor. The Department of Education is seeking more money from us.

Even many church organizations get donations from Pagcor despite the opposition to Pagcor of some bishops.

Pagcor, in President Arroyo’s own words, is an important part of Philippine nation building.

In its endeavor to generate more funds for the government’s pressing concerns, Pagcor has ventured beyond casino management.

To meet the challenges of the new millennium, the gaming corporation is constantly looking for ways to improve its gaming products and maximizing the efficiency of its gaming operations.

Philippine Gaming Market

Sports betting is, to a vast population of Filipinos, a way of life from cockfighting to horseracing and basketball. Betting on number combination games such as lotteries and basketball “ending” offered by illegal bookies, has become part of millions of Filipinos’ daily routine.

The gaming market in the Philippines is estimated to be over P100 billion a year. Illegal gaming accounts for half of the country’s gaming industry revenues.

Internet Gaming Market

The Internet gaming global market is estimated to be US$10 billion in 2002 and is predicted to reach US$14.5 billion in year 2006.

Internet Sports Betting and Internet Casino dominates most of the revenues. Although US now accounts for half of industry revenues, the gaming market is changing and the biggest area of growth is in places like Europe and Asia.

Pagcor aims to go global and is keen on gaining a share of the Internet gaming revenue. Internet gaming will allow Pagcor to reach out to local and foreign gaming enthusiasts with less investment cost.

About Philweb

Capitalizing on its Internet technology experience, Philweb in early 2003 made a deliberate decision to focus on Internet Gaming. It established partner relationship with leading software providers in addition to establishing its own gaming software capability.

On the basis of this expertise, Philweb was successful in concluding a contract with Pagcor, whereby Philweb became Pagcor’s overall service provider for Internet Gaming technology. To date, Philweb has concluded 2 Internet Gaming agreements with Pagcor, as follows:

Acknowledging the Filipino’s yearning for sports and gaming as well as the continuing popularity of local sports betting, Pagcor, in partnership with Philweb Corp., designed and deployed a new and innovative way to utilize Internet technology in fueling the Filipino’s passion for sports—Internet Sports Betting. Pagcor aims to compete head on with illegal bookies and migrate most, if not all, of the illegal gaming revenues into additional source of income for the government.

Recognizing Philweb’s extensive knowledge in Internet technology, software development expertise and its nationwide marketing distribution network, Pagcor signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Philweb on November 28, 2002, engaging the latter as its technology service provider and marketing consultant for Internet Sports Betting. Subsequently, Philweb and Pagcor likewise entered into several supplemental agreements to cover the expansion programs of Pagcor on Internet Sports Betting. Philweb is a PLDT subsidiary.

Pagcor license for Internet casino

Pagcor has decided to offer casino games outside the land-based casinos via Internet Casino Stations. Compared with the land-based counterpart, Internet Casino Stations require less investment because of their low overhead as well as operating and marketing costs. Also, Internet Casino offers gaming enthusiasts the opportunity to play casino games in the privacy and comfort of their homes at any time of the day and at their own pace.

As an additional feature, a prepaid card system will be incorporated in Pagcor’s Internet Casino betting platform to avoid credit card fraud and fast-track its nationwide distribution.

Philweb is partnering once more with Pagcor to accelerate the market entry of the latter’s Internet Casino products in the Philippines. With a management team rich with Internet Casino business expertise, Philweb expects to realize with Pagcor the revenue potential of Internet Casino.

Currently, Pagcor and Philweb are pursuing for the expansion of their Internet Gaming relationship to now include Internet Casino. Philweb will provide its technology and marketing services to Pagcor. These services shall include the following:

Recently, Philweb, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) affiliate that oversees the operation of an Internet casino business on behalf of the government, expects to report a full-year profit for 2006, the first since it was set up in 2000.

Philweb reported net profit of P42 million ($861,848) in the first nine months of 2006.

The company, which oversees 45 Internet casino stations, most of them in Manila, said gross betting volume in online casinos had surged from P562 million in 2004 to P10.8 billion in 2005.

It is likely to rise by another 30 percent in 2006, according to Dennis Valdes, the company’s president.

That forecast looked optimistic on a recent Saturday night in Manila on the basis of competition between a bookmaker’s office, crowded with laborers betting on horses, and an Internet casino station a few feet away where no-one was queuing to play.

But the relative quiet outside the online casino belies the vast and rapid flow of money into the newest game of chance to hit Manila. On entry into what looks like an Internet café, where about 25 desktop computers are linked to a powerful server running gambling software, customers are asked to buy at least P500 worth of credits, and it is not uncommon for players to spend P1,000 in just 15 minutes.

“We started out as an ISP [Internet service provider] and it was only recently that the company refocused on Internet gambling,” said Valdes.

In November 2002, Philweb won a contract to provide consultancy services to the state gambling monopoly, which is trying to curb an illegal market that it estimates to be worth about P50 billion a year.

Stock market investors are making a big bet on Philweb, whose share price more than doubled in 2006 and has risen by about a 10th so far this year.

Its market capitalization of P3.9 billion is now almost a quarter more than the combined market value of the two bigger and older companies that run horse races.

Jueteng, again?
The Philippine Star

Many Filipinos have long suspected that gambling money finances political campaigns in this country. But this has never been established as fact. The politicians who benefit from gambling funds will certainly lack the political will to spearhead an investigation. Reflecting the sentiments of the political leadership, law enforcers will also have no interest in verifying those perceptions. There are cops who even openly admit that gambling money finances police operations in certain areas of the country.

Now the issue is being revived as the campaign for the May elections heats up. As in the past, no proof will be presented to substantiate the allegations; for the accusers, merely raising the issue is enough. This is due not just to the difficulty of gathering evidence that can stand in court, especially when cops themselves are uncooperative, but also to the laziness of accusers. This failure to present evidence has doomed every attempt in the past 20 years to pin down suspected gambling barons and the beneficiaries of their largesse.

Complicating the problem is the ambivalent state policy on gambling, which deprives the government of the moral high ground to crack down on illegal numbers games popular among the poor such as jueteng. Despite new laws imposing stiffer punishment for illegal gambling, jueteng continues to thrive and enrich gambling lords.

The government could go after these gambling barons and plug one of the largest sources of corruption by applying new laws against money laundering or even old laws on tax evasion. Lawmakers could pass legislation that will compel transparency in campaign contributions. It may be impossible to stop Filipinos from gambling, but it is not impossible to discourage the corruption that is engendered by illegal gambling.

Unfortunately for the nation, political will has always been lacking in both the executive and legislative branches when it comes to stopping the flow of money, especially big money, regardless of the source. The status quo has worked for the typical Filipino politician, whose attitude is, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?

i don't see anything wrong with it. why not. Filipinos are born gamblers , its the asian in them. why not legalize it . they will find a way to gamble legal or not look at jueteng. my cousin was able to get a grant from pagcor when her brother was sick and had no money to pay fo the hospital bills.

I am for legalizing it, that way, "jueteng lords" will be remnants of the past.

Yes, legalize and regulate!!! :)

Place jueteng inside the casinos!

^^ Why not? Make sure that the bets will be in hundred grands to keep the masa out of reach. :D

tong its

I just think people have to go beyond the pleasure of risk. With or without the casinos, people will take risk in anything...either pyramiding, stock market, buying bargain items, investment in condo like Icon...(ay sori..mali..mali...) yung ibang condo lang pala....or even a simple mah-jong or kara krus....

People gamble thinking they will win...

^^ Why not? Make sure that the bets will be in hundred grands to keep the masa out of reach. :D

I was also thinking of that!:banana:

I don't like any form of gambling. Maraming nalululong diyan sa sugal. Bahay, Lupa, ari-arian at pati asawa ay ibebenta makapagsugal lang.

O' pustahan tayo, hindi kaya ng pamahalaan ma-regulate yang jueteng.

Place Your Bets! ...........










...........

Teka, Did I just gambled? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

http://www.onlinecasinonews.com/ocn/ocn_images/160x160/inide-casino.jpg

Pagcor, one of the Philippines’ largest gaming corporations, has teamed up with Spanish beer brand San Miguel to serve free beer at their Internet casino stations (ICS).

The company operates a nationwide chain of Games.com gaming outlets with a minimum of 10 personal computer terminals dedicated solely to playing eCasinoFilipino games accessible 24 hours a day.


The range of eCasinoFilipino games offered inside the ICSs include Baccarat Blackjack which bring in 56.8 percent and 30.5 percent of the total gross bet turnover, respectively, followed by 7 percent for Poker games and 3.3 percent for slot-machine games.


Pagcor started with a humble 11 ICS stations in 2004, and the number more than tripled by year-end of 2005.


A key factor in the boom in the Philippines’ online casino industry is the 3 percent increase in the commission rate offered to Pagcor’s the operators from 22 percent to 25 percent of gross winnings in mid 2005, spurring more operators to take on ICS machines.

http://www.onlinecasinonews.com/ocnv2_1/article/article.asp?id=12968

RTC judge hears
landmark Web gambling case
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/mar/05/yehey/prov/20070305pro1.html
ANGELES CITY, Pampanga: The government’s campaign against the proliferation of illegal Internet gambling activities hangs in the balance as a judge in Angeles City today hears the motion for reconsideration on the quashing of the search warrant used to raid an alleged illegal Internet gambling operation in a hangar in Clark Field in Pampanga last year.

The case is being heard by Judge Omar Viola of Branch 57 of the Third Judicial Region’s Regional Trial Court in Angeles City.

The case stems from a raid in November last year by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), on behalf of Pagcor, on a hangar leased by British Grand Vision International Company and TransGlobal Pacific Airways.

The NBI team led by special agent, Renato Marcaup confiscated various casino and online computer gaming paraphernalia, resulting in the filing of cases against the two firms’ employees and officials.

Among those charged were Steve Huang and Edgar Lim.

Pagcor and the NBI fear their case faces serious threats.

Already, their cornerstone search warrant was quashed in court and the government’s own city prosecutor in Angeles City issued a “novel” finding that PD 1602 (anti-illegal gambling law) “does not punish the crime of Internet gambling.”

The Marcos-era PD 1602 was promulgated years before the Internet revolutionized instantaneous, real-time communication.

In the motion for reconsideration, the government aims to show how evidence in the illegal Internet gambling operation was built up, including the use of the website www.dsl.168*bets.com, through to the set up, staffing and operation of the Internet-enabled gambling operation that was eventually busted at the Transglobal building located at the Clark Special Economic Zone’s Hangar 7260.

The government team will show that Murcuap, having registered and posed as on line better on the illegal gambling activities which were exposed, and witness that trained and worked as one of the on-line dealers in the illegal operations, have personal knowledge of illegal gambling activities.

While there are no live players in Internet gambling, the government notes there are real and actual players of the online casino game being operated by the respondent in the Philippines, as shown by the actual gambling done by Murcuap in the course of investigation proves this.”

$10B RP Las Vegas to rise (http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200703220402.htm)
By Helen Flores The Philippine Star 03/22/2007

A $10-billion Las Vegas-style gaming and entertainment complex will rise on an 800-hectare reclaimed area on Roxas Boulevard beginning this year, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) said yesterday.

Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Efraim Genuino said construction of the entertainment complex, to be called "Pagcor City," will be handled mainly by foreign investors.

"Our country will not spend for these developments. We’re just selling a concept," he said.

The project is expected to attract 10 million foreign visitors in five years and generate millions of jobs for Filipinos.

"The Pagcor City will have arcades, malls, hotels, wellness spas, cultural center, sports arena and theme parks, patterned after Macau and Las Vegas," Genuino said at a press briefing on the sideline of a tourism conference called Asia’s GEM (Gaming and Entertainment plus Leisure Expo Manila) at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila yesterday.

"Development of big hotels and big entertainment areas is a key to attracting tourists, as a matter of fact our requirement is for the investors to come up with the design or proposal that will attract tourism," Genuino said.

"The reason why we lack tourists is we lack hotels," he said.

Yesterday’s event kicked off the three-day Asia’s GEM 2007, co-presented by Pagcor and the Euro-Asian Cooperation on Gaming.

He said investors from Japan, the United States, South Korea, and some European countries have signified interest in investing in the project, according to Genuino.

One of the biggest casinos in the world, the Loutraki, is expected to set up shop in Pagcor City.

Pagcor City will be developed over a seven-year period in three phases.

Genuino said the first phase of the project, which begins this year, includes the construction of a resort hotel and a theme park. Phase 1 is expected to be completed in two years.

The entertainment complex’s casino will have 1,000 table games and 3,000 slot machines.

"The Asia’s GEM 2007 marks the paradigm shift of Pagcor from gaming to entertainment. For our economy to recover economically, we need tourism. And for us to invite tourists to come here, we need projects like Asia’s GEM to get the support of foreign investors," he said.

"The thrust now is not casino gaming but total entertainment. In the global arena, only 25 percent of the revenues of gaming destinations such as Las Vegas come from actual gambling," Genuino said, adding that some 80 percent of Pagcor City’s revenues is expected to come from foreign visitors.

"Our country stands to gain substantial revenues from this market as casino visitors spend more than general tourists," he said.

"It is important to have the destinations and attractions that would ensure a pleasant stay for casino visitors. Most of them travel with their families and take side trips," Genuino said.

The complex will have a "tropical" area featuring white sand beaches and lagoons, all facing Manila Bay. A Winter Park is also being eyed with large ice skating rinks as well as real snow and skiing facilities.

A Marina complex will feature a walk-through glass tunnel showcasing different marine species in the Asia-Pacific region. A fish port and a seafood restaurant to be patterned after the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco are also being eyed for Pagcor City.

Plans include the construction of a boardwalk to provide convenient public access to a pedestrian promenade lined with specialty restaurants and outdoor cafes. An observation tower envisioned to be the tallest in the world will be erected in the area. Genuino said Nayong Pilipino may also relocate to Pagcor City.

He said Japanese investors are interested in developing retirement homes for the growing Japanese retiree market. "We were able to attract interest from a number of Japanese retirees," Genuino said.

Pagcor is consistently the third biggest income-generating arm of the government. Last year, Pagcor registered revenues of P35 billion compared with only P23 billion in 2005.

Under its charter, Pagcor serves three crucial roles: to regulate and operate all games of chance in the country, generate funds for the government’s infrastructure and socio-civic projects, and boost local tourism.

Led by the southern Chinese enclave of Macau, Asia is witnessing a gambling boom as the region looks to new, glitzy Las Vegas-style casino complexes offering entertainment and exhibition venues to attract more tourists and business travelers.

Pagcor all set for Phase I of ‘Entertainment City’ (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/03222007/headlines03.html)

By Honey Madrilejos-Reyes
Reporter

STATE-CONTROLLED Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will start developing this year the first phase of the ambitious Bagong Nayon Pilipino-Entertainment City Manila, otherwise known as Pagcor City.

At the sidelines of the 2007 Asia’s Gaming and Entertainment Leisure Expo held Wednesday at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila, Pagcor chairman and chief executive Efraim Genuino said Phase I consists of a resort hotel, a theme park and gaming centers.

“Our goal is to complete Phase I
in two years and immediately proceed with the second phase, which would involve residential villages and casinos,” Genuino told reporters. Phase III of the estimated $20-billion project would feature a hospital district, restaurants and commercial establishments.

According to him, it would take at least seven years to develop Pagcor City, which sits on 800 hectares of reclaimed land on Roxas Boulevard.

Once the franchise of Pagcor is renewed anytime soon, Genuino said they will enter into partnerships with various companies to forward the development of Pagcor City. The franchise of Pagcor is only good until 2008 but both chambers of Congress have reportedly approved the renewal and it is only awaiting the President’s ratification.

This early, he said, one of Europe’s biggest casino operators has already signified its plan to locate in the Pagcor City.

Pagcor, which ended 2006 with a gross income of P25.5 billion, operates 14 Casino Filipino branches, eight highly-exclusive Casino Filipino VIP clubs and three slot machine arcades in key cities.

Genuino has always touted the country’s big potential of becoming the Las Vegas of Asia, even beating the neighboring Macau, because “we have always at the radar screen of big-time investors from all over the world”.

“We have investors from all over Europe and Asia. With the Pagcor City, our goal is to generate as much as 250,000 jobs and also promote the tourism industry of the country,” he said.

Vegas’ Wynn Resorts: Manila
can be prime gaming hub (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/03222007/headlines02.html)

By Max V. de Leon
Reporter

WYNN Resorts Ltd. of Las Vegas fame is keen on investing anywhere from $500 million to $1.5 billion for a hotel-resort with casino here, with one official saying the Philippines has the potential of overtaking Macau as a prime gaming destination in seven to 10 years.

Tim S. Shiah, who represented Wynn managing director Jack Binion at the ongoing Asia’s Gaming and Entertainment + Leisure Expo Manila (Asia’s GEM) 2007, said the company is already shopping around for prospective locations in the country for its investment.

Some of the areas being looked at, Shiah said, are Subic, Clark, Cebu, Boracay and the planned 800-hectare Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) Entertainment City at Manila’s reclamation area.

Shiah said Binion has been in the country at least three times and will make another trip here soon to check on the various opportunities for gaming cum total entertainment, especially after Congress approved the extension of Pagcor’s franchise for another 25 years.

“Mr. Binion’s a billionaire. He’s not coming here if he’s got nothing to do with his day,” Shiah told reporters at the sidelines of the Asia’s GEM 2007 at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino in Manila.

He, however, stressed that nothing is definite at this time.

A Wynn investment for a resort hotel with casino ranges from $500 million to $1.5 billion, he said.

The 600-room Wynn Macau, for instance, entailed $1.2 billion initially and now employs 7,500 personnel.

Shiah said the Philippines has the potential to overtake Macau in seven to 10 years, especially since the country already has the two important ingredients that other locations do not have—the quality personnel and natural attractions like beaches.

Because of this, Shiah said “many potential investors from Las Vegas are taking a hard look at the Philippines.”

“Macau is fortunate because they have China there and their players can bus over or take the ferry from Hong Kong, but Macau is going to have to get tough too when Singapore and the Philippines get going too,” he said.

In giving Macau a run for its money, Shiah said Manila can start having Las Vegas-type hotels and spice them up with the same quality gaming and complete entertainment.

With a total entertainment package, Shiah said the country can emulate Las Vegas, which earns earning 25 percent from gaming and 75 percent from entertainment.

Besides this, Shiah said the country should embrace investors through sound legislation, elimination of red tape and by ensuring that local government units work harmoniously with the investors they are hosting.

Shiah said Pagcor chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino, who he described as the “hardest-working gaming chairman” globally, is on the right track in attracting big investors and operators to promote the Philippines.

PCCI president Samie Lim, who also attended the event, said the Philippines could at least outpace Macau with the Pagcor Entertainment City and other attractions like the beaches, shopping malls, medical tourism spots, and golf, among others.

More important, Lim said the country has the “pleasant personnel” fit for the gaming industry.

“Based on experience, Macau is not really a pleasant experience because the people there are so business type. Filipinos, on the other hand, are always smiling so that even if you are losing, your experience will still be pleasant,” Lim said.

Macau, he said, attracted 22 million tourists in 2006 and it is unlikely that it will be having 40 million tourists in 10 years.

The Philippines, meanwhile, had over two million tourists in 2006 and this is projected to grow to 5 million by 2010 and then to 10 million in 10 years.

“So we can be the fastest-growing in the world,” Lim said.

^^ This pic was posted earlier in the Metro Manila U/C VI thread by @wynngd

I actually saw the model of this project inside Casino Filipino near the Ninoy Aquino airport in Paranaque last May 2006. I couldn't take a pic because cameras were not allowed in the casino.

Just the model alone looked great! If you notice in the pic you can see a monorail system that winds its way around the entire project. :)

Its great to know they will actually start building this!!!

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/9144/dsc0042copyvb5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

lol it would be nice if they can actually come up with a better name than "Pagcor City"....geeeeeezz how long did they spend thinking about that name???

^oohh, I just love that plan. I think they would also build the new Nayong Pilipino in the same area?

Ahh so no wonder i saw heavy equipment n men working in that area already. Theyre clearing the area and constructing interior roads. They also tore down part of the perimeter fences

^^ Can someone post pics of the ongoing clearing development in the area of PAGCOR city?

Pagcor's 'Las Vegas' dream to cost $20B (http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=189&a=19013)
March 22nd, 2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The government's Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has raised its project cost estimate for an ambitious gaming complex -- to be patterned after Las Vegas -- that will rise on reclaimed land along Manila Bay.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Pagcor chair and CEO Ephraim Genuino said that as much as $20 billion-- equivalent to 16 percent of the country's total economic output in 2006 -- would be spent in putting up the "Entertainment City."

This marks a 33-percent hike over the initial $15-billion cost that was announced when the project was unveiled in 2001. Under the original plan, the investments and project cost would be spread out over a 10-year period.

"The project is a shift [for Pagcor] from gaming into entertainment," Genuino told reporters at the Asian Gaming and Entertainment Plus Leisure Expo Manila. "We will form a Las Vegas in the Philippines."

The complex, also called Pagcor City, will be built in three phases on 800 hectares of reclaimed land. The first phase will host a hotel-resort and theme park. The next two phases will have retirement villages and entertainment centers.

Separately, however, Pagcor officials said that only "$10 billion to $15 billion" would be spent on the first phase of the project, which would cover between 45 to 65 hectares of the total proposed area.

Genuino said that only 25 percent of the total land area has so far been reclaimed, with the rest to be added as the project gets underway.

Genuino also expressed confidence that the Pagcor City project will not encounter opposition, even from the Catholic Church.

"For us to hurdle opposition to gaming, we will follow Las Vegas," he said. "I think the Church will understand. We are the biggest income generator for the government, and I think the Church will be mature enough to understand."

The gaming firm said that it made P25 billion in revenue from casino operations in 2006, almost 10 percent higher than the P23 billion profit it posted in 2005.

The head of the state gaming monopoly revealed that they are already in talks with Greek casino and resort operator Loutraki—a major player in the European gaming industry—for the development of Entertainment City's first phase.

"We have also spoken with Ceasar's Palace and Genting," he said, referring to the US- and Malaysia-based casino operators.

Genuino said 90 percent of the funds for the project will come from foreign investors. Other funders from Japan, Europe, the US and South Korea have also signified interest in financing the project.

Japanese investors, he said, are interested in developing a retirement village within the area for the expanding Japanese retiree market.

He added that Pagcor was working on the technical requirements of the project, with preparatory work scheduled to begin this year. Construction would be completed by 2009.

"The thrust now is not casino gaming but total entertainment," Genuino said. "In the global arena, only 25 percent of the revenues of gaming destinations such as Las Vegas come from actual gambling."

He said the Philippines stands to gain substantial tourism revenues by taking an active role in the global gaming industry. He noted that even a conservative country such as Singapore has opened its door to casinos as it realizes the benefits to be derived from the industry.

"With Pagcor City, we will quadruple our tourists to 10 million in five years," he said. "We hope we can catch up with Singapore and Macau."

Genuino also said foreign investments in the project will be finalized once Pagcor's charter is amended to allow the state-owned company to enter into joint ventures with foreign investors.

^^ Oh I can't wait, ..but it seems dear Senator Lacson is questioning the project, he says there is something fishy about it...

^ Oh, fishy, fishy, they should try catching some fish :tongue3:

magkano na pala ang ending satin?
taya ako ng taya nung nandyan pa ko
pero ni isa nde man lang nanalo
piso per slot as far as i remember
pag nanalo meron libreng kangtootbrush
at libreng kangtootpaste

^^ Oh I can't wait, ..but it seems dear Senator Lacson is questioning the project, he says there is something fishy about it...

Eh sya nga amoy malansa dyan ehh......if you know what I mean..favorite color is pink? hmmm...:banana:

dapat hindi na manalo yang si lacson...talagang nuisance lang yan sa senado....

^^ he's leading in the polls.... why god , why???

magkano na pala ang ending satin?
taya ako ng taya nung nandyan pa ko
pero ni isa nde man lang nanalo
piso per slot as far as i remember
pag nanalo meron libreng kangtootbrush
at libreng kangtootpaste


hi!!!
dito sa bacolod iba iba,,may 3 may 5 may 10 rin .sometimes nga 15 or 20....tumataya rin ako sa ending..hehehhe:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

hope they will make the entertainment city as flashy as las vegas. sana lagyan nila ng maraming neon lights para. sarap isipin na ang pinas ang entertainment capital of s.e asia

^^ But sometimes "flashy" can easily come off as tacky and kitschy instead, it a very fine line and we don't want that happening, do we? :colgate:

magkano na pala ang ending satin?
taya ako ng taya nung nandyan pa ko
pero ni isa nde man lang nanalo
piso per slot as far as i remember
pag nanalo meron libreng kangtootbrush
at libreng kangtootpaste

lol is that a song?:lol:

^^ Related to this news is Bishop tobias's appearance in the newest casino.

Nako kapag natuloy to..pwede ako uli mag work sa gambling industry....kasi dito..if you resign from Pagcor..you cannot work again and of course..sila lang ang gambling company dito...

Filipinos benefit from Macau casino boom (http://www.intergame.ltd.uk/News001.aspx?Action=-617781463&ID=59230fd7-6ee4-45d7-9cb7-da5fce3d5f66&SiteID=1)
11 April 2007

The former Portuguese enclave of Macau, which now turns over more money in gambling than Las Vegas, has become a haven for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

There are already about 35,000 Filipinos working in Macau - doing various things from the usual hotel services to running golf courses or acting as security personnel.

Because of the business boom in Macau and a fast growing middle and a lot of expats, there is also a demand for household help and it may soon follow the experience in Hong Kong.

“With all the feverish construction of new hotels and casinos, it is easy to see why there would be thousands of new jobs available for our work force in this booming Special Administrative Region of China,” said writer Boo Chanco.

There are more than 10 million overseas Filipinos worldwide, about 11% of the total population of the Philippines.

Each year, the Philippines sends out more than a million of its nationals to work abroad through its overseas employment program.

PAGCOR sets bidding for gaming complex (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=82119)

The state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) will hold the first pre-bid conference for the proposed $10-billion Entertainment City project in Manila in two weeks.

“The terms and conditions governing this undertaking shall be announced and discussed during the pre-bid conference,” PAGCOR chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino said in a press statement.

The Las Vegas-style gaming and entertainment complex is set to rise on the reclamation area in Manila Bay.

PAGCOR said the area is easily accessible from major thoroughfares such as EDSA and Roxas Boulevard. It is also near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), seaports and major commercial and urban centers.

“The Entertainment City Manila is our answer to the rapid developments happening in other parts of Asia, particularly Macau and Singapore, as well as in other parts of the world,” Genuino said.

He said the construction of Entertainment City Manila “is in line with President Arroyo’s eight-point agenda, which aims to revitalize the tourism industry, in particular, and the Philippine economy.”

The entertainment complex is Genuino’s brainchild and it will contain five-star hotels, amusement parks, educational and cultural complexes, shopping malls, a commercial district, a sports stadium, restaurants, convention halls, state-of-the-art theaters, gaming centers, race tracks, residential villages, a hospital district, and other facilities at par with international standards.

PAGCOR said the idea for Entertainment City Manila was developed as early as 2001 “but remained in the pipeline for the longest time due to factors, such as the pending expiration of the PAGCOR franchise.”

“However, with the recent passage of House Bill 3409, which extends the life of the corporation for another 25 years, it’s all systems go for this colossal project,” he said.

“We are all very excited about getting this project in motion because of the countless benefits it will bring to our country and its people,” he added.

Even before the project’s construction begins, PAGCOR said it may already generate millions of dollars in revenues in the form of advance lease payments from future locators and other investors. During the project’s construction, PAGCOR said the local construction industry will be revitalized because of the requirements of this massive undertaking.

“In the process, hundreds of thousands of local employment opportunities shall be created,” PAGCOR said.

“These do not include the direct benefits the project will bring to other industries, such as transportation, communications, food, hospitality and entertainment,” it added.

PAGCOR said Entertainment City Manila “is in the right position to succeed, considering that Asia is a growing market, having the highest population and most affluent citizens.”

It also said the Philippines serves as a gateway to Asia and is strategically located a few hours from China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea.

Two opposition lawmakers earlier said they want the House of Representatives’ oversight committee to investigate PAGCOR’s plan for Entertainment City Manila.

Genuino said the construction of this massive project will be handled by foreign investors. “Our country will not spend for these developments. We are just selling a concept,” he said.

The project is expected to attract 10 million foreign visitors in five years and generate millions of jobs for Filipinos, he said.

PAGCOR has consistently been the third biggest income-generating government agency. Last year, it generated P35 billion, higher than its 2005 income of P23 billion.

PAGCOR sets bidding for gaming complex (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=82119)



PAGCOR said the idea for Entertainment City Manila was developed as early as 2001 “but remained in the pipeline for the longest time due to factors, such as the pending expiration of the PAGCOR franchise.”



As early as 2001???? No wonder we're getting left behind, just three words could make this country prosperous if most Filipinos understand it:

TIME IS MONEY!

^^ Oh I can't wait, ..but it seems dear Senator Lacson is questioning the project, he says there is something fishy about it...

There's always something fishy about everything - even in the Vatican there's corruption - we are losing much more money from lost economic opportunities brought upon by the delays caused by these investigations, court hearings, etc. When would these imbeciles understand that TIME IS MONEY. Look at the North Railway project, we are suppose to have a train operating from Caloocan to Bulacan by 2008/2009; now the project would be delayed for an unknown period since someone took the matter to court. How much economic opportunities would we be losing because of this delay? Wouldn't it be greater than whatever issue/concern that they have brought to the court?
Since we can't abolish the Senate yet - maybe we could put a cap to investigation periods/delays - say maximum of three months for the Senate to investigate and make its conclusion - unless they have proven something else, things should proceed as planned. The courts should also be given a time frame to make decisions on things that are of public interests (infrastructures, etc.) say a maximum of 4 months - if they can't make a conclusion within that period then the matter should proceed.

I've got a suggestion on how PAGCOR can pre-empt the Church and hypocrite politicians future opposition on this spectacular, Las Vegas type project:

That is their entry rules on the new casino could be:

1.) Foreign ID/passport holders - No restriction on entry to the casinos
2.) Any local Filipino with a person/s carrying a foreign ID/passport - No restriction on entry to the casinos
3.) Local Filipinos - Entry to the casinos would only be allowed from Fridays 1pm up to Sundays 4 am

Of course the suggestion above is not only to pre- empt those who would oppose this project ( I could imagine them publishing "studies" about gambling addicts and the resulting increase in crime, family break ups, etc.) but also to actually mitigate the downsides of gambling.

Can anyone bring my suggestions above to Pagcor?

^^ won't work. most of the gamblers are local pinoys (with a good deal of chinoys). that's who I see when I used to play the horseracing game . fascinating how they plunk in 100K chips at the blackjack tables.

US$20 Billion entertainment complex ?

at the usual Pagcor SOP of 30%, magkakaroon tayo ng bagong bilyonario :lol:

Hotel Gambling in Asia: A Safe Bet? (http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4032057.search?query=philippine+tourism)

Introduction
Legalized gambling in Asia is poised to create huge revenues and huge booms in tourism, which in turn means major development for the hospitality industry. The great success seen in Macau has caused the rest of Asia to re-think what was once an anti-legalized gambling attitude. Moreover, the increase in middle class residents has allowed more local disposable income, which has continued to fuel the gambling economy.

Macau
Macau recently overtook Las Vegas as the number one gambling economy in the world,1 but it is a change that has taken a number of years. Since the laws changed in 2002 to allow foreign entrepreneurs to open casinos, the Macau market has boomed.2 The economics of Macau’s casino are industry are simple: growth. Slot machines are driving much of that growth, as this graph shows:

http://www.hospitalitynet.org/picture/153018751.jpg3

Macau’s gaming statute relies on a series of concessions and sub-concessions to gaming providers, which are supervised by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.4 Macau casino operators face a steep tax rate of up to 40% to operate, but the volume of revenue has clearly been enough to prevent the tax from deterring casino operators.5

China
The remainder of China still makes gambling illegal, with recent crackdowns on internet gambling,6 similar to sentiment in the United States. However, the legislation seems to stand in stark contrast to the history of gambling in China, leaving some to refer to gambling as China’s national pastime.7 While gambling in the majority of China seems like it will not occur, it is possible that an area like Hong Kong may be granted Macau-like casino rights.

Singapore
Singapore is now re-considering their stance on gambling, having dropped their ban in 2005. Two major developments are under way, set to open in 2009 and 2010 respectively.8 This decision has faced vocal opposition, and winning the hearts of the people seems to be one of the more difficult tasks.9 However, the limited grant of casino space may foreclose many from venturing into the Singapore market until the two developments are complete and have shown their validity.

South Korea
South Korea now has 17 casinos10 which are doing quite well, but the internet gambling business has recently faced a considerable crackdown.11 South Korea even showed growth in the gaming sector during their recession in 2001.12 Of course, there have also been significant issues with gray-market gambling in Korea, which operates much like pachinko in Japan.13

Taiwan
Taiwan is still considering gambling, although PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that it will be limited to one casino.14 Should this be the case, the competition to secure that one spot will likely be fierce. It remains to be seen what style of gambling regulation Taiwan would put in place to control this, but it can be expected that it will likely be a single concession.

Japan
Japan has had a very peculiar form of legalized gambling in place for years: Pachinko. For those unfamiliar with the game, pachinko involves controlling the rate at which ball bearings enter a pinball-like board.15 Winning players are rewarded with more ball bearings. These ball bearings can be traded in for prizes, but not cash. However, upon exiting the pachinko parlor, a small booth can be found somewhere nearby, and that booth will trade cash for tokens that are among the prize choices. Pachinko is already huge business in Japan, with over 30 million yen spent by players in an average year.16 However, other than pachinko, horse racing, and the lottery, gaming is illegal. Specifically, casino gaming is completely forbidden.17

However, Japan may be on the verge of legalizing casino gambling.18 New legislation has been presented to legalize casino gambling, which is estimated to pass by June 2008. The bill adopts an approach similar to that employed in Singapore in order to dispel the negative image gambling has in Japan. While only time will tell if Japan actually ends up legalizing casino gaming, the odds seem favorable at this juncture.

Philippines
In the Philippines, a large new casino complex is planned for Manila Bay called PAGCOR City,19 which stands to dramatically increase revenue.20 The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is in charge of regulating the gaming industry, both land based and virtual.21 PAGCOR has been operating since 1976, and is a general success story in terms of generating government revenue through gaming.22

Broad Based Implications
This new proliferation of legalized gambling means that the hotel franchise counsel may need to seek expert assistance as more franchisors may become interested in adding gaming to their properties, or creating new gaming properties in these new locations. Much like the Caribbean, hotel chains that do not traditionally enter into the gaming arena may see the opportunity Asia presents and decide to pursue the additional revenue gaming has to offer. However, like franchise law or international trade law, gaming will continue to be a highly specialized, regulation heavy area where mistakes are not a luxury the client can afford. The language barrier can only serve to complicate this matter.

Typically, a chain wishing to have gambling on premises will handle these operations in house. That structure means that gaming specific staff will need to be hired and a whole host of gaming specific rules and procedures will have to be put in place. Moreover, the gaming areas of the hotel should be planned from the inception of the new hotel’s creation. This can maximize their friendliness to gaming specific elements, especially security concerns, including surveillance cameras, money counting facilities, and secure money storage.

The hotel industry is used to compliance on a number of other fronts, from franchising to health codes. Gambling is another animal in the administrative law menagerie, and as such has a whole series of rules and regulations all its own. Some of these take the form of licensing, others as mandatory procedures for the casino to follow. In any case, strict adherence to the governmental rules can make or break the operation, and as such hotel management will need gaming compliance counsel to educate their staff and help craft the necessary elements to remain in compliance. The difficulty comes in the last of standardization across Asia. If a hotel operator wishes to take advantage of multiple gambling states, they will need to re-analyze their existing procedures for each new state they enter to maintain local compliance. The complexity involved will resemble the difficulties faced by international hotel franchise counsel, where franchise rules can similarly vary from country to country.

Moreover, many manufacturers of gaming machines worldwide will now be looking to export their machines to these new gaming areas. Of course, with any technology, there are always a host of trade regulations to be concerned about. These can include the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)23 and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).24 This new wave of Asian gambling may prove to be a significant source of work for those who deal in international trade in Asia. Of course, the volume of machine sales is relatively steady despite the status of casino projects merely because machines have a limited lifespan. Thus, the import/export aspect of the new casinos could extend well past the franchise concerns that exist at the outset of hotel project development.

Conclusion
As gaming continues to spread worldwide, more legal business will accompany it. Since there is little standardization worldwide of gaming laws both land based and online,25 any company interested in capitalizing by adding casinos in other countries will need the assistance of counsel that understands the country specific gambling regulations. Of course, the greatest barrier for many will be that of the language, which could bode well for attorneys who speak the various Asian languages. In addition, between the widespread issues of internet gambling and the proliferation of casino gambling across Asia and other parts of the world, attorneys experienced in gambling regulations may soon be in significantly higher demand.

^^

Let me say it again; let's pre empt the future opposition to this Pagcor city. I suggest regulating locals' entry to the casino:

1. Any local with a foreign ID/passport carrier - welcome 24/7
2. Local Filipinos - No entry from Sundays to Thursdays

Does anyone know of an old casino located in Mambaling that was owned by Late Mr. Gavino Moras. I had visited this place many years back. Is it still operational? Please help.

^^the only gambling-related building that i could think of in the vicinity would be the abandoned Jai Alai building

It’s tourism now for Asia, fueled by gaming and entertainment. It is a $98-billion industry. And we, in the Philippines, are being left behind because of too much political noise and interference.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., in an attempt to get a slice of the gaming and entertainment pie, plans to put up a $10-billion facility, the Nayong Pilipino Entertainment City Manila. This will stand at the 400-hectare reclaimed area along Roxas Boulevard.

Pagcor has started the ball rolling by finalizing terms of reference for an international bid after Asian, American and European gaming and entertainment giants attended an investors conference.

Just how far it will go is anybody’s guess, considering all the political and religious obstacles the project will have to hurdle.

The Entertainment City being envisioned by Pagcor will certainly make Manila a tourist destination with the multi-complex city complete with luxury hotels, sports and convention centers, theaters, entertainment for the whole family, shops and a baywalk to enable people to watch the famous sunset at Manila Bay.

I have seen how gaming and entertainment have transformed not only Macau into a tourist destination. The same can be said of the former staid city-state of Singapore.

The irony is that while our neighbors are at it, we just might be missing the bus again at the rate we Filipinos are shooting ourselves in the foot. In effect, we have become our own worst enemies!

(Source (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=emilJurado_oct17_2007))

Inquirer
Last updated 06:17pm (Mla time) 10/15/2007

MANILA, Philippines - Internet gaming firm Philweb Corp.;s net income surged dramatically by 188 percent to P121.7 million from January to September, from P42.3 million posted in the same nine-month period last year, Philweb president Dennis Valdes said.

Likewise, money transfer company iRemit Inc. said that its net income for the first nine months (iRemit) rose sharply by 176 percent to P78.2 million from the P28.3 million of the previous year.

In a statement, Philweb reported a 111-percent rise in revenue for the first three quarters to P193.5 million, from P91.5 million in the same period last year.

Valdes pinned the strong growth on volume increases from the company's core Internet casino and sports betting businesses.

"Not only have we increased the number of our internet casino stations and the number of terminals within those stations, but we continue to realize scale benefits and efficiencies, resulting in better margins," Valdes said.

Year-to-date net income margin is at 62 percent, up from last year's 46 percent.

In the first three quarters of the year, PhilWeb registered three new subsidiaries with the Securities and Exchange Commission: PhilWeb Gaming Solutions Corp., a firm that develops promotional gaming solutions for outside clients; PhilWeb Leisure and Tourism Corp., a venture to explore leisure and tourism activities; and PhilWeb Tourism and Entertainment Corp., a company to build facilities in this sector. Philweb has a "war chest" of about $10 million.

PhilWeb is a dominant local player in the Internet gaming sector, and is a technology enabler of state-led Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

Read more (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=94587)

Angeles City students protest Pagcor's E-casino
01/17/2008 | 10:29 AM

AUF students protest E-Casino
By Ian Ocampo Flora and Dante M. Fabian

Sun.Star: ANGELES CITY -- Holding streamers and placards, about 200 students of Angeles University Foundation (AUF) staged -- in what can be hailed as this city's first ever anti-gambling student action -- a protest rally against a government-operated gaming facility here on Wednesday.

The students, who came from different college departments of AUF, marched from the main campus and aired their grievances in front of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) E-Casino facility here.

The mass action was made after AUF chancellor Emmanuel Angeles denounced the opening of the facility, which violates existing zoning laws. The E-Casino is partly an online facility where customers can gamble online. The facility, set to formally open on Friday, is set to feature the usual casino games like slot machines, bacarrat and black jack.

Angeles said the Pagcor E-Casino is located only about 150 meters from AUF. "It is also near the Iglesia Ni Cristo Church, and several meters away from the Mother of Perpetual Help School of Midwifery and the Philippine Women's University. There is also a Montessori nearby," he said.

He said the existence of gambling and gaming halls near educational and religious institution is against the law.

Sylvia Soriano, vice president for administration of AUF, said the facility is a direct affront to public morals and may provide possible "distraction" to students in the area. "The E-casino is situated near the school, this is not just an ordinary facility but a big one operated by Pagcor. We will not stop these rallies until this facility closes," she said.

According to the protesters, the E-Casino, which is located at the second floor of the Eloisa Building along McArthur Highway corner Angeles-Pandan Road violates the 200 meter radius set by Philippine Zoning Law which prohibits the operation of gambling facilities within the radius of school or church establishments.

"We have set up rounds of protest rallies from 2 to 3 p.m., 3 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Students will see to it that the management of this E-Casino will get our message," said Christina Marie Tobias, University Student Council president here.

The university will continue the rallies on Thursday until Friday when bigger rally is set to be staged and to be participated by a majority block of the university community.

The protesters, accompanied by their professors and instructors, shouted anti-gambling phrases and prayed in front of the Pagcor facility.

"Gambling is immoral, and as students we have the right to study in a community free from such establishments," Tobias said, as she waves a banner condemning the existence of the establishment.

"Our chancellor has filed for a temporary restraining order (TRO), but as of the moment we could only hope that the TRO could be released just before the casino operates on Friday," Soriano added.

Soriano said they have coordinated with the officials of other schools to join in the protest rallies.

Councilor Jesus Sangil meantime denounced the establishment of the online casino near the AUF and vowed to file a resolution seeking the City Council's opposition to the same.

Sangil said he would file a resolution urging the executive department of Angeles City to stop the impending opening and operation of on-line casino of Pagcor in the city.

He said gaming facility -- located in Barangay Salapungan, Angeles City -- is about to open and operate without the knowledge of city officials and added that the implementation of such project -- no matter how significant the possible benefits to the city -- violate provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act (RA) 7160.

He cited that violations include the very basic dynamics of governance that include the mandatory consultation of local government units by concerned government agencies in their undertakings in affected areas, as stipulated in RA 7160.

He said the location of the online casino also violates existing national and city ordinances on the prohibition of establishment of gaming facilities near schools and other institutions of learning. - Sun.Star (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/76859/Angeles-City-students-protest-Pagcors-E-casino)

huwag niyo munang i-abolish ang lotto...

hindi pa ako nananalo. sayang naman yung naitaya ko na noon. babawiin ko muna. tapos sige i-ban nyo na yan. :)

^^loko. :lol:

Protests can’t stop Angeles City casino, says owner (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080118-113317/Protests-cant-stop-Angeles-City-casino-says-owner)

By Tonette Orejas
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 18:08:00 01/18/2008

ANGELES CITY, Philippines -- A casino hounded by protests from school officials and students here cancelled its scheduled opening Friday.

But the casino license holder, Emmanuel Jacinto, said it was not because of the protests.

Jacinto’s casino is within the city’s school zone.

He said he was expecting the mayor’s permit to be released next week and that was the only reason the casino opening was put on hold despite its announcement through streamers and flyers.

But Dr. Emmanuel Angeles, chancellor of the Angeles University Foundation (AUF), said Jacinto would not get what he wants.

Angeles said Alex Ozaeta and Andy Lizares, managers of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.-run casinos in the village of Balibago here and in Clark, had called him separately on Thursday to promise "they would not allow Jacinto to operate one (casino) in its present location."

Jacinto’s company, the Emaja Internet Gaming, rented the 200-square meter second floor of the Eloisa Building in the village of Salapungan, the building owner told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

Angeles said he was waiting for Pagcor’s official communication on the controversy on Friday.

He said he would hold the filing of a petition for a temporary restraining order against Emaja until Pagcor’s written assurance comes.

Angeles said he also lobbied with Mayor Francis Nepomuceno not to issue Emaja a permit. The mayor could not be reached on Friday.

The main point in the dispute stems from the casino’s location.

Jacinto said the casino was 206 meters from the AUF and this, he said, was certified correct by the city engineer’s office.

But Angeles said the casino was 153 meters from the AUF, 50 meters from the Philippine Women’s University extension campus, 100 meters from the Montessori School and 50 meters from churches of the Iglesia ni Cristo and the Archdiocese of San Fernando.

"Whether it is 150 [meters] or 200 [meters] or more than that, a casino or any gaming establishment should not be near our academic institutions," Angeles said.

He said his office has been swamped with letters of concern from parents.

Pagcor was still validating the distance, said Dodie King, the firm’s public relations officer. He confirmed that Pagcor gave Emaja a certificate to operate but held it until the license holder gets its business permit.

Jacinto said he would not back off. "All of our papers are legal and in order. Hindi ako patatalo sa ganoon lang (I will not withdraw just like that). I will continue with the business," he said.

The AUF student council warned of a "massive demonstration" once Jacinto insisted with his plan.

The casino, Jacinto said, would only be opened to players 21 years old and above.

yung casino sa cainta, wasn't able to open na., malas. :) the one in binangonan, the Fiesta by thunderbird resorts, seems to be a huge hit, attracting the rich people in antipolo and rizal and even the eastern portions of metro manila.

b'z2;17785613"]Protests can’t stop Angeles City casino, says owner (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080118-113317/Protests-cant-stop-Angeles-City-casino-says-owner)


I took part in the rally concerning this, just guess who I am in here:
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd198/otakaw/DSC08228.jpg

As of now, though I'm not sure if the project is totally scrapped, all signages, banners and every ad material concerning that E-Casino has been removed. It should have opened on Jan. 18, but it didn't so I guess our efforts bore fruit. It was my first time to join a rally/take part in activism (I was rather "encouraged" to join since student council officers were asked to lead & take part), ang init init paman din non.

the rightmost guy with a clenched fist? :colgate:

^^you're right... hahaha... :lol:

hey, not all RBs have limp wrists.

remember the spartaaaaans . . .

:jk:

^^And what do you mean by that??

Harrah's Considering Subic Bay For Major Casino Project
January 17, 2008 10:54 a.m. EST



Joseph Dela Cruz - AHN News Writer
Manila, Philippines (AHN) - Harrah's Entertainment Inc., the world's biggest casino operator, is meeting officials from the Philippines for the second time next month to seriously look into the possibility of putting up a multi-billion dollar gaming project inside the Subic Bay Freeport and Special Economic Zone (SBFSEZ).

Senator Richard Gordon, who was a former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman, told reporters in an interview recently that the idea is to help the Freeport area become attractive to gambling tourists coming from the Asia-Pacific Region.

Gordon said the Philippines should take advantage of Harrah's future plan to expand in the region since it could no longer locate in Singapore or Macau where the issuance of casino licenses is limited to existing operators.

In Macau, there were three licenses issued plus another three sub-licenses, while the Singapore government has only allowed the presence of two operators, Gordon explained.

With world-class casino operators such as Hannah's doing operations in the Philippines, the whole of Subic including Clark could easily become a top tourist destination especially with the presence of three airports and two seaports.

According to Gordon, he has already talked to top executives of Harrah's to discuss the prospects of Subic as its most ideal site for expansion in the region. He said prospects were good but another follow-up meeting may be needed to finally lure the company.

He said he is scheduled to leave for Las Vegas next month to meet some of the company's executives.

SBMA administrator Armand Arreza, in the same interview, said inviting world-class casino operators to do business inside the Freeport area is in line with the government's plan to develop casino resorts either within the zone or outside Subic where the same fiscal incentives will also be offered to interested parties.

Harrah's operates eight luxury casino hotels in Las Vegas and manages 40 casinos in three countries. The company is led by Philip Satre and Gar Loveman.

In December 2006, Harrah's entered a $17 billion buyout offer from private equity firms Apollo management and Texas Pacific Group. It went public in 1971 and acquired Holiday Inn in 1980.

Other acquisitions include Rio Hotel and Casino, Inc. in 1999 for $888 million; Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (Bally's Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Paris) for $5.2 billion. Ceasar's was the casino spin-off of Hilton Hotels; It has bought the Horseshoe brand name when it purchased Horseshoe Gaming Holding Co. until 2005 when it sold the casino to MTR; bought the Imperial Palace in 2005 for $370 million.

Premiere Entertainment Productions Buys DigiWave (http://www.igamingbusiness.com/article-detail.php?articleID=16427)
04-03-08

Philippines-listed entertainment group Premiere Entertainment Productions has signed a deal to acquire online gambling software developer Digiwave Solutions subject to the approval of shareholders.

The deal will see Premiere Entertainment Productions issue over one million shares amounting to about $1.24 million in exchange for ownership of Digiwave.

“The share swap is anchored on Digiwave’s projected net income as for the year ending December 31, 2008, valued at $3.11 million given a P/E multiple of eight times,' a statement from Premiere Entertainment Productions read.

The statement went on to report that agreement had been reached to rename the company Premiere Entertainment Philippines with the selling Digiwave shareholders agreeing to invest $3.72 million in the new company.

Premiere Entertainment Productions is engaged in entertainment, gaming and leisure activities and is chaired by movie producer Cirio Santiago. It produces full-length motion pictures and program content for free television, cable broadcast and video distribution with a subsidiary, Premium Events Palace, involved in bingo parlour operations.

Digiwave is an entertainment and information technology company that is also the second-biggest supplier of gaming stations in the Philippines through the facilities of Government agency PhilWeb. Its principal business is the development and provision of leisure gaming software using South Korean technology and a Filipino workforce.


^^ was surprised to read that our government has an agency named PhilWeb.
turned out PhilWeb is not a Government agency but is the Principal Technology Service Provider and Marketing Consultant for PAGCOR's Internet Sports Betting and Internet Casino Gaming, that is according to their website (linkie (http://www.philwebinc.com/template.asp?target=aboutus))

Star Cruises to invest in Philippine casino project
Wed Apr 2, 2008 1:39am EDT

HONG KONG, April 2 (Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSHKG6696720080402)) - Star Cruises (0678.HK: Quote, Profile, Research) (SARC.SI: Quote, Profile, Research) said it has agreed to join forces with Alliance Global Group Inc (AGI.PS: Quote, Profile, Research) to develop and operate hotel and casino complexes in the Philippines.

Star Cruises will pay $335 million for half of the equity interest in Alliance Global's Travellers International Hotel Group Inc, which has applied for a provisional gaming licence to participate in a Philippine hotel and entertainment resort development.

For details please read here 0402092.pdf (Reporting by Alison Leung; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/0404&052008/opinion01.html

Rising soon: Manila Bay Strip

BusinessMirror Editorial - April 4, 2008

Some 60 kilometers southwest of Hong Kong is the former Portuguese colony of Macau. With a total land area of 28.6 sq km, it is smaller than Mayor Alfredo Lim’s City of Manila, which covers 38.55 sq km. Macau has a population of a little over half a million, less than a third of the Philippine capital city’s official count of 1.5 million people.

So how could such a tiny spit of land have generated over $17 billion as gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006? That kind of GDP makes for a per-capita income of $28,853—again in 2006 American dollars. Macau’s economy has been growing at over 13 percent annually—tracking and sometimes leading the consistently robust growth rates of the entire Chinese economy.

If he were still alive, paramount leader Deng Xiaoping—who almost single-handedly modernized his country by adopting “socialism with Chinese characteristics”—would probably be overjoyed that Macau has been living up to his dictum, “To be rich is glorious.”

What made such impressive economic figures possible is gambling—or, its more polite variant, “gaming.” Casinos are what have made this special administration region a Chinese cash cow since Lisbon formally returned it to Beijing in 1999.

To be sure, Macau has other sources of income, such as some light industries that include garment and textile factories. Its history as the oldest—and last—European colony on Chinese soil has produced a culture that appeals to millions of sightseers, both Chinese and foreign. There is little doubt, however, that the bulk of 25 million tourists who went to Macau last year alone made a beeline to its casinos. And projections are tourist traffic—both from the mainland, where illegal gambling can earn an offender three years in prison, and overseas—is bound to keep growing. Of course, it has not always been that way.

The history of the gaming industry in Macau can be traced to 1962, when the Portuguese colonial authorities issued a monopoly license to the Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM), headed by the legendary Stanley Ho. His classic Hotel Lisboa and its opulent extension across the street, the lotus-shaped Grand Lisboa, still dominate the skyline of Macau’s old section. However, Macau—and China as a whole—hit the jackpot when the Chinese authorities decided to give Ho some competition.

The Macau government ended the monopoly system in 2002. Six casino concessions and subconcessions were granted to STDM, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Galaxy Entertainment Group, the partnership of MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho Chiu-king and the partnership of Melco and PBL.

Stanley Ho’s STDM continues to operate 16 casinos, which are still considered crucial to Macau’s casino industry. In 2004, however, the opening of the Sands Macau ushered in a new, more profitable era.

At its opening the Sands Macau was hailed as the largest casino in the world, as measured by total number of table games. After the Wynn Macau threw its doors open in 2006, gambling revenue from Macau’s casinos surpassed for the first time that of the Las Vegas Strip’s $6 billion or so. Since then, Macau has become the highest-volume gambling center in the world.

Success breeds success, and keeps on doing so. In 2007 the Venetian Macau—the second-largest building in the world—opened its doors to the public, followed by MGM Grand Macau. Many other hotel casinos, including Galaxy Cotai Megaresort and Ponte 16, are similarly set to open in the very near future—going by the relentless pace of construction at Macau’s reclamation areas.

Officially, Filipinos make up 2 percent of Macau’s population. They are employed not just in the casinos, but also in hotels, restaurants, transport companies, retail outlets and wherever there is a need for amiable, hard-working and English-speaking staff. However, there are probably even more Filipinos in Macau working “informally.”

That Filipinos make up a significant portion of Macau’s casino work force—and, for that matter, in the US gaming centers of Atlantic City, Reno and Las Vegas—has its parallels in, say, our merchant marine. The Philippines deploys the largest number of seamen across the globe—mainly because it does not have a big enough maritime industry to employ them.

Some of our expatriate manpower and talent in the gaming establishments of Macau—and even Nevada and New Jersey—may finally be able to come home and still earn a decent living in the not-too-distant future.

After making investors—along with thousands of job-hungry Filipinos—wait for what must have felt like an eternity, the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) finally gave the go-signal to four investors ready, willing and able to put up a world-class gaming center in Manila.

As this paper reported yesterday, what has been envisioned as a Las Vegas-like Bagong Nayong Pilipino-Manila Bay Integrated City took another step closer to reality. Japan’s Aruze Corp., Genting Berhad of Malaysia, SM Investments Corp. and Australia’s Bloombery Investments Ltd. were given the go-ahead to put up their respective multibillion-dollar projects at the 90-hectare resort complex.

Pagcor has approved the project proposals of the four groups, with total investments of about $10 billion spread over three to five years.

When fully operational—the earliest by 2010—the integrated resort facility is projected to raise the country’s gaming revenue by at least 30 percent. It is also expected to boost foreign tourist arrivals by up to three million travelers annually, and generate over 250,000 new jobs.

Pagcor aims to use the Bagong Nayong Pilipino as a catalyst to sustain the growth of the country’s tourism industry. It hopes to attract at least $4 billion in investments.

Fears that the envisioned gambling center would further erode Filipinos’ public morals seem to be unfounded. Similar—but not as grand—gaming operations have actually been operating for several years now in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, La Union, Rizal and the old US military bases at Clark and Subic Bay. The bulk of their clientele is foreign—including spillovers from Macau.

Besides, the potential of the Manila Bay Strip for boosting tourist traffic is enormous. There are certainly more attractions for sightseers in this country than the ex-Portuguese colony’s
church ruins.

Las Vegas style casino in d Philippines (US$ 15 billion): good or evil??

Plus (+)

-more jobs
-more tourists
-real estate growth
-more tax revenues

Minus (-)

- gambling addiction for locals
effect: bankruptcy, family problems, marriage breakups, neglect of children, professional moms becoming part time prostitutes to sustain gambling addiction, white collar dads becoming part time pimps to sustain gambling addiction, Maripaz the 15 year old daughter getting pregnant while mon and dad are too busy gambling,etc.
- more criminals (both local and international)
ex. loan sharks, pimps, etc,
- more pedophiles ???
- increase in prostitution

Interesting

- we could discourage local Filipinos from entering casinos by having them pay entry fees (like in Singapore)
- we could have more tourists but be "strict" with prostitution
- we could invest the gambling revenue into social services


Below is an article about the casino from The Age
http://business.theage.com.au/packer-eyes-philippines-20080616-2rok.html



Packer eyes Philippines
June 17, 2008

HAVING this month scrapped plans to build the world's tallest casino in Las Vegas, James Packer has set his eyes on further expansion in Asia.

Chinese reports say he is close to signing a deal to build a $US1.5 billion ($A1.6 billion) casino complex in the Philippines.

Mr Packer is owner of British Virgin Islands-based company Bloombury Investments, the South China Morning Post said.

The paper cited the president and chief operating officer of the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), Rafael Butch Francisco.

Bloombury has been confirmed as one of four local and international developers seeking to secure gaming licences and join a $US15 billion mega-project to build a Las Vegas-style casino and entertainment hub on land facing Manila Bay.

The company wants to build three luxury hotels, upmarket shops, restaurants and an entertainment and sports centre.

I would think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of this project. Besides I think the politically correct term for this project is an "Entertainment Complex/City". As mentioned countless times before the casinos will only make up a small portion of the the initial $15 billion investments. I'm all for it. Better get a move on before the middle class of Vietnam catches up and the world notice LOL. (They have a similar project going on I believe). We have the advantage since our middle class is relatively bigger, and the vast number of Filipinos abroad + our geographical location.

Way to go philippines! Mabuhay sana ang gambling business sa Pagcor City! Its ok to gamble wag lang masisiraan ng ulo tsaka self-control dapat para di na kelanganin ang Catholic Church of the Philippines!

The name "pagcor city" really sucks! Dapat "Bay City" nalang... :D

Las Vegas style casino in d Philippines (US$ 15 billion): good or evil??

Plus (+)

-more jobs
-more tourists
-real estate growth
-more tax revenues

Minus (-)

- gambling addiction for locals
effect: bankruptcy, family problems, marriage breakups, neglect of children, professional moms becoming part time prostitutes to sustain gambling addiction, white collar dads becoming part time pimps to sustain gambling addiction, Maripaz the 15 year old daughter getting pregnant while mon and dad are too busy gambling,etc.
- more criminals (both local and international)
ex. loan sharks, pimps, etc,
- more pedophiles ???
- increase in prostitution

Interesting

- we could discourage local Filipinos from entering casinos by having them pay entry fees (like in Singapore)
- we could have more tourists but be "strict" with prostitution
- we could invest the gambling revenue into social services


Below is an article about the casino from The Age
http://business.theage.com.au/packer-eyes-philippines-20080616-2rok.html



Packer eyes Philippines
June 17, 2008

HAVING this month scrapped plans to build the world's tallest casino in Las Vegas, James Packer has set his eyes on further expansion in Asia.

Chinese reports say he is close to signing a deal to build a $US1.5 billion ($A1.6 billion) casino complex in the Philippines.

Mr Packer is owner of British Virgin Islands-based company Bloombury Investments, the South China Morning Post said.

The paper cited the president and chief operating officer of the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), Rafael Butch Francisco.

Bloombury has been confirmed as one of four local and international developers seeking to secure gaming licences and join a $US15 billion mega-project to build a Las Vegas-style casino and entertainment hub on land facing Manila Bay.

The company wants to build three luxury hotels, upmarket shops, restaurants and an entertainment and sports centre.

I suggest, they should come up with some sort of gambler's electronic account-monitoring system w/ an account user's card to be issued individually, to control their financial flows. However, if a bank card should be used, the gambler then has to ask the bank to setup certain limitations on their account transaction specially if its being used in any casinos. The casinos also has to play some important role to cooperate w/ the individual's bank to help stop those uncontrolable and addicted gamblers and ultimately ban them from entering their casinos. Its something to monitor their bank account transaction when gambling only, and should also be capable of banning them automatically when reach some certain point that if an individual is losing too much money in certain amount set by the bank, the user/gambler, or by the casino itself. So technically, everyone have to have this card when entering the casinos or playing.

The idea of using this type of card is an effective tool to help control the individual's gambling addiction. Its almost a similar system where some video game playdiums such as the Sega City of Mississauga, Canada (im sure philippines has same system somewhere), are using an electronic card to be issued individually by purchasing it w/ certain amount on it instead of using cash. I believe that the card is reloadable, but if the same system can be implemented in casinos, it should be somehow programable so that a gambler cannot just use his/her entire assets to gamble!



:cheers:

Your points for the minus are slippery slope arguments. Especially the effects you pointed out. Those are reaching way out there.

"Maripaz the 15 year old daughter getting pregnant while mon and dad are too busy gambling,etc."

What sort of argument is this?

Any of you out there have been to major casinos throughout the world and compare the Philippine established casinos?

(I've been to some Casinos in Pinas, puwede nang i-compare sa mga Indian casinos (http://www.spirit-mountain.com/events/) dito sa amin.)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Las Vegas style casino in d Philippines (US$ 15 billion): good or evil??

The Stephen Wynn's new $1.2 billion casino resort in Macau is said to be comparable to a Vegas style casino. What more with a $15 billion casino in the Philippines?
It is not a matter of good or evil, anything that would help the economy is always good and of course there is always a price to pay on anything good. :wink2:

If the Loutraki group is still interested in investing on this project, why not.

Wag' lang maraming tongpats at lalabas na $9 billion project lang yan. :lol:

Any of you out there have been to major casinos throughout the world and compare the Philippine established casinos?

(I've been to some Casinos in Pinas, puwede nang i-compare sa mga Indian casinos (http://www.spirit-mountain.com/events/) dito sa amin.)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The Stephen Wynn's new $1.2 billion casino resort in Macau is said to be comparable to a Vegas style casino. What more with a $15 billion casino in the Philippines?
It is not a matter of good or evil, anything that would help the economy is always good and of course there is always a price to pay on anything good. :wink2:

If the Loutraki group is still interested in investing on this project, why not.

Wag' lang maraming tongpats at lalabas na $9 billion project lang yan. :lol:

sure but if the price to pay is more than the "good" then it's not good anymore is it? :)

Your points for the minus are slippery slope arguments. Especially the effects you pointed out. Those are reaching way out there.

"Maripaz the 15 year old daughter getting pregnant while mon and dad are too busy gambling,etc."

What sort of argument is this?

way out what? i never said all the daughters of gamblers would get pregnant at the age of 15 did I? i'm just giving one scenario and i think everyone understands that...if i may ask, are you fully aware of how addictive gambling is to some people? are you aware of the adverse social effects of gambling in countries where there's plenty of it? (ex. Australia) in fact, the main reason governments turn a blind eye on the destructive effects of gambling to families, communities, etc. is because of the massive revenue it brings to them...even Singapore which tries to lure foreign gamblers discourages their local population from visiting casinos

sure but if the price to pay is more than the "good" then it's not good anymore is it? :)

The downside that you listed are moral issues. Nasa tao na ang pagpapahalaga ng kanilang buhay. Alisin mo man ang mga Casino at ibang uri ng sugal, nandiyan pa rin ang mga issues na yan. Marami akong kilala na addict sa sugal sa Pinas, ngunit inuuna nila muna ang pagkabuhay ng kanilang pamilya. Yung mga nakikita mo sigurong mga sugarol ay likha na talagang walang pagpapahalaga sa kanilang buhay.
Discipline always play a big part, I'm not a proponent of gambling but since it is now considered as part of the entertainment world, it is always fun to take some chance that would change a person's way of life.

Any of you out there have been to major casinos throughout the world and compare the Philippine established casinos?

(I've been to some Casinos in Pinas, puwede nang i-compare sa mga Indian casinos (http://www.spirit-mountain.com/events/) dito sa amin.)




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The Stephen Wynn's new $1.2 billion casino resort in Macau is said to be comparable to a Vegas style casino. What more with a $15 billion casino in the Philippines?
It is not a matter of good or evil, anything that would help the economy is always good and of course there is always a price to pay on anything good. :wink2:

If the Loutraki group is still interested in investing on this project, why not.

Wag' lang maraming tongpats at lalabas na $9 billion project lang yan. :lol:

The $15 billion is for the whole development of the "Pagcor City", its not solely for the casinos.

I'm confident and very sure that most Filipinos support the Pagcor Entertainment City. This is already a "go" project.

The downside that you listed are moral issues. Nasa tao na ang pagpapahalaga ng kanilang buhay. Alisin mo man ang mga Casino at ibang uri ng sugal, nandiyan pa rin ang mga issues na yan. Marami akong kilala na addict sa sugal sa Pinas, ngunit inuuna nila muna ang pagkabuhay ng kanilang pamilya. Yung mga nakikita mo sigurong mga sugarol ay likha na talagang walang pagpapahalaga sa kanilang buhay.
Discipline always play a big part, I'm not a proponent of gambling but since it is now considered as part of the entertainment world, it is always fun to take some chance that would change a person's way of life.

well, regardless of what issues they are they must be taken into consideration...we could also say that people who got hooked into drugs do not place enough value to their lives and families to have the discipline to stay away from the illegal substance..does that mean we should allow illegal drugs since it's only a question of discipline and the right moral attitude???

anyway, i have just listed SOME plus and minuses about the project so we could discuss the topic - my post is not meant to be a bible or official report regarding the matter

im leaning towards allowing the project BUT with provisions such as:

- locals should be "discouraged" from entering the casinos (like in Singapore)
- a set percentage of the total gambling revenue would be allocated for treating gambling addiction, social services, etc.
- a stricter law enforcement against loan sharking
- a set percentage of the total gambling revenue would be allocated in "solving" the prostitution problem in the Philippines
- a stricter law against pedophiles, child molesters, etc. (there would be more of them coming from overseas once we become an 'entertainment centre')
- a law enforecement body that would focus on triads, mafias and other organized crime (they come with the gambling industry)

honestly, I'm a bit bothered with how some people so easily fall in love with the casino project without even demanding some sort of safeguards to the problems it might bring

guys, are you in favor of putting up a casino in Boracay? I went there 2 weeks ago and locals I've talked to don't want Pagcor to put up a casino at the Fairways Resort and Country Club...

guys, are you in favor of putting up a casino in Boracay? I went there 2 weeks ago and locals I've talked to don't want Pagcor to put up a casino at the Fairways Resort and Country Club...

I think there's a moratorium on building new establishments in Boracay. The indiscriminate building has already compromised the cleanliness and endangered marine life in Boracay.

I'm in favor of the entertainment city to be built in Manila. I'm not a proponent of gambling but one's vices should not be blamed on the presence of gambling establishments. It's your personal responsibility not to spend on gambling when you cannot even afford to feed your own family. Meanwhile such a project could provide hundreds if not thousands of much-needed jobs so other Filipinos can feed their own families.

Philippines is gambling lords’ Eden (http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/july/13/yehey/top_stories/20080713top1.html)

The Philippines has become the gambling lords’ paradise. And the richest of these lords, albeit legal and government-owned, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), is about to turn the most beautiful part of Metro Manila into the Las Vegas of the Orient.

Most of the other gambling lords are operators of illegal jueteng operations.

These, people and groups that became famous in the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada who was ousted primarily because he was accused of receiving bribes from jueteng operators, are also operating some—others say most—of the legal Small Town Lottery franchises. The Manila Times learned from a source in the industry.

The STL is granted to qualified gambling-operators by another government-owned gambling lord, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Pagcor is much richer than the PCSO. Pagcor casinos are all over the National Capital Region and the key cities of the archipelago. These casino buildings, brightly lit at night, look like palaces, glittering like small-scale versions of the ones in Las Vegas, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia.

But Pagcor has begun to build its Entertainment City—on the very land close to the Philippine Cultural Center and extending towards Pasay by the sea—which could, if all the investors do come and none of the usual Filipino contretemps wreck the project, rival what Macau and Singapore now offer.

The Pagcor and the PCSO are of course the “goodies” of this country’s burgeoning gambling industry. They are “goodies” because they do great works of charity—giving to hospitals, educational institutions, various foundations and every single charity and medical concern presented to them by governors, mayors and barangay officials that are favored by Malacañang and by congressmen and senators who are allies of the President.

They even give generously to charity projects for the poor run by Roman Catholic Church parishes and bishops.

Yet, they are officially not “goodies” to the hierarchy of the Church (and to most of the Protestant pastors too).

The doctrine of the Catholic Church on gambling is as neutral as her doctrine on alcoholic drinks—especially grape wine, without which no substance can be miraculously transubstantiated into the Sacred Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The doctrine on gambling, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, says: “Games of chance [card games, etc.] or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks being an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.”

In other words, you can gamble if you are not doing it as an addiction (an enslavement). And if you do not deprive your family—or anyone to whom you owe the duty of love and support—of your time, your attention and your money. It’s all common sense, really. You can gamble to excess, just as you can drink to excess and do harm to yourself.

Then you commit grave injustice. And your gambling addiction might even lead you to steal.

The Catholic bishops see much more than personal sins related to gambling. They wisely oppose both legal and illegal gambling because of the harm both forms have been doing to the Filipinos as a society and to the Filipino character—especially to the poor in the case of jueteng, masiao and the PCSO’s small town lottery.

CBCP vs. organized gambling

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (see “What Catholic Church’s doctrine on gambling says”) has issued a pastoral statement against organized gambling.

The bishops decry the “many attempts . . . made to legalize all forms of gambling, even as lotto and casinos are legal. But again for us as Pastors, given the fatal lure of gambling to the Filipino psyche, the legalization of organized gambling in order to raise funds, even for development, is a form of de-moralization—the gradual erosion of moral values necessary to a development-oriented work ethic, such as diligence and industry, accountability and transparency.

“The poor and the needy are victimized the most. They are often the most prone to gambling addiction, as the deadly attraction of easy and quick riches beckons them to disaster. Therefore, the legalization and proliferation of gambling establishments are nothing more than an abject surrender to a morally debilitating vice.

“For reasons like the above we strongly oppose organized rampant gambling, be it legal or illegal. Our development as a people is not merely economic. It has to be more. It must be moral and spiritual as well. We, therefore, strongly urge that the investigations now going on against gambling lords be pursued relentlessly until these are brought to justice and the complicity of government officials, police, and military officers be brought out into the open and punished.”

Bishops support Gov. Panlilio

About two-thirds of all the Catholic bishops are supporting the case Pampanga’s Governor Eddie Panlilio has filed against perhaps the most celebrated person to be accused of being a “jueteng lord.” He is Rodolfo “Bong” Pineda, and he and his wife, are among President Gloria Arroyo’s best friends and townmates. Mr. Pineda has appeared in Senate hearings and was mentioned in the impeachment trial of former President Erap Estrada.

But there is a new reality that has not reached the Philippine public, the same gambling industry source told The Times. Illegal gambling, especially jueteng, these days is no longer controlled by civilians. Someone in the Cabinet and his men all over the country who wield great power over law-enforcement agencies, is now the boss of bosses.

We in The Times have tried to verify this piece of information. And if we are told that it is again another nasty rumor meant to add to the dirt being thrown at the Palace we will not be surprised.

VxUFomkd0n8

:ohno: VVV


NBI raids RP game developer for alleged software piracy

By Alexander Villafania
INQUIRER.net (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/infotech/view/20080827-157157/NBI-raids-RP-game-developer-for-alleged-software-piracy)
First Posted 17:48:00 08/27/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) raided the office of Philippine game development company Anino Games Inc. August 22 for alleged software copyright infringement.

The raid resulted in the seizure of 36 computers that were installed with alleged illegal copies of several applications from software developer Autodesk Inc. Among the allegedly pirated software that were found were 3D Studio Max 2008, 3D Studio Max 9, AutoDesk Maya 8.5, AutoCAD 2008, AutoDesk Maya 2008 and Combustion 4.

A complaint was filed at the NBI's Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD) by AutoDesk, a member of the Business Software Alliance (BSA). The group has been promoting the use of original software and seeking prosecution against alleged copyright violators, BSA said in a statement.

Anino, the first commercial game development firm in the Philippines, is a member of the Game Development Association of the Philippines. The group's president, Gabriel Dizon was unavailable for comment as of this writing.

Anino Games President Niel Dagondon confirmed the government raid. In a statement given to INQUIRER.net, Dagondon said the company "has always been willing to work with AutoDesk" to help companies like them find viable solutions.

Dagondon also implored the BSA to help them instead of attacking them. Such attacks, he said, could force other development firms to either close down or "resort to undesirable means."

"[A]ttacks such as these are damaging not just to Anino and its staff but to the entire Philippine creative and outsourcing industry in general. This has a negative effect not only on Anino's operations but to the reputation of Philippine offshore service providers as a whole composed of dollar-earning companies whose clients are mainly based
abroad," Dagondon said.

Gambling may be RP’s ticket to economic success--trade chief

By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 18:53:00 09/08/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Gambling might be the Philippines’ key to more foreign investments that will equal those of Singapore and Malaysia, the country’s trade secretary told the House of Representatives on Monday.

Favila made a subtle endorsement of plans to set up a Las Vegas-style gambling complex in the country, arguing that Singapore and Malaysia have jacked up their respective foreign investments primarily through “entertainment and private gaming.”

“Maybe this is something that we can take a look at,” he told lawmakers during preliminary deliberations on the proposed P2.85-billion budget of the Department of Trade and Industry for 2009.

“I know the sensibilities of certain sectors. I know the sensibilities of the Church, but we might be missing [on the opportunity here].”

Favila said the Philippines paled in comparison with Singapore and Malaysia in terms of foreign direct investments in 2007.

While the Philippines registered only around $2 billion, its two neighbors raked in somewhere between $8 billion and $10 billion, said Favila.

Favila said the disparity in investments could be attributed to the two countries’ decision to open their respective markets to a “new project activity, which is now more popularly referred to as entertainment and private gaming.”

He endorsed a similar route for the Philippines even as the Arroyo administration had begun an ambitious $15-billion gambling complex project called the “Bagong Nayong Pilipino-Manila Bay Integrated City” (New Filipino Community-Manila Bay Integrated City).

Read full article here (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080908-159430/Gambling-may-be-RPs-ticket-to-economic-success--trade-chief)

Philstar.com - Thursday, November 13

Asia Pacific Poker Tour president Jeffrey Haas wasn't bluffing when he described the Philippines as the "beating heart" of Asian poker.

"Manila occupies a very special place in Asian poker because it was here where the APPT held its first tournament in September of 2006," said Haas at the Bayview Salon of Hyatt Hotel.

Haas spoke in yesterday's press launch of the second season of the PokerStars.net APPT, which is expected to bring in around 300 of the world's most recognizable poker faces.
The tournament that actually started last Monday will last until Sunday where the final table of the main event, with a buy-in of P100,000, will be played starting at 1 p.m.

Organizers of the event supported by the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp. or Pagcor said they expect the last man standing to bring home P10 million or US$204,000.

"Despite the miniscule revenue we get from this, as compared to what we get from our slot machines, we continue to support poker," said Pagcor's Rafael Francisco, drawing some laughter.

Among those vying for all the chips and bragging rights are APPT champions Brett Parise, Edward Sabat, Yoshihiro Tasaka, Team Poker Stars ace Lee "Final Table" Nelson and world No. 1 John Phan.

Neil Arce, a flamboyant 25-year-old; Wally "The Dream" Sembrano, a respected figure in Philippine poker; and Joshua Rivera, a call-center agent and recent winner in the local tour, will carry the fight for the Philippines.

Arce made a name for himself when he brought home $55,000 for finishing 200th in a field of 6,000 in last year's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Alan Escano, executive producer of the Filipino Poker Tour, said the growing number of poker players in the country "is just the tip of the iceberg" and that the game's popularity "is ready to explode."

Nelson, who earned his nickname because he's always in the final table of every tournament he competes in, said poker is a great game that requires skills, patience and discipline. - Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Digiwave sells online gaming software to Korean firm (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=439751&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Zinnia B. Dela Peña Updated February 13, 2009 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - Digiwave Solutions Inc. (Digiwave), which is being acquired by publicly-listed Premiere Entertainment Philippines Inc., sold six of its online gaming software to Korean-based software firm Goodandgood Management, Inc. for $3 million (roughly P141 million).

Among the software purchased by Goodandgood are 7-Card Stud Poker, Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, Baccarat, Super 6, Baduki and Mahjong, all of which feature a RAndom Number Generator (RNG) and Associated Components Certification from the Gaming Associates Pty. Ltd., an Australian-based gaming consultant.

Digiwave president Justin Rojas said this ensures that the RNG generated results are uniformly distributed, statistically independent, and that the game symbols are fair and unpredictable.

Under the agreement, Goodandgood committed to buy a minimum of 300 to a maximum of 600 licenses of Digiwave’s software packages in a move aimed at cashing in on the gaming software’s business capability. The company plans to set up kiosks offering the said games in Korea and other parts of Asia.

The games also showcase high quality graphics, user-friendly interfaces and a help function that players can easily access for assistance. The software also allows multiple gamers to simultaneously play the game. Nine players can simultaneously play Texas Hold ‘Em in one game, five players each for Baduki and 7-Card Stud Poker, 100 each for Baccarat and Super 6, and four for Mahjong.

Aside from developing and distributing online gaming software, Digiwave also operates its own Pagcor e-Games Stations (PEGS). Its Baduki and 7-Card Stud Poker are now being used in all PEGS across the country.

Digiwave’s proposed share swap agreement with PEP is still pending the approval of the SEC. The deal calls for the issuance of about 1.003 billion PEP shares in exchange for 100 percent ownership of Digiwave amounting to P50 million (about $1.24 million).

The share swap is anchored on Digiwave’s projected net income as for the year ending Dec. 31, 2008 valued at P125.499 million given a P/E multiple of eight times, PEP earlier said.

PEP is engaged in entertainment, gaming and leisure activities. It produces full-length motion pictures and program content for free television, cable broadcast and video distribution. A subsidiary, Premium Events Palace Inc., is involved in land bingo parlor operations.

Digiwave, on the other hand, is an entertainment and IT company founded on Aug. 9, 2006. Its principal business is software development and provision, mainly for leisure gaming. The company uses South Korean technology and a Filipino workforce, and is looking to expand internationally

GMA declares former San Lazaro racetrack a tourism economic zone (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=443531&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated February 26, 2009 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo has declared the former site of the San Lazaro race track in Sta. Cruz, Manila owned by the Manila Jockey Club Inc. (MJCI) as a tourism economic zone.

Pursuant to the proclamation, MJCI and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA signed yesterday the registration agreement entitling the listed horse race track operator to develop and operate several parcels of land consisting of 74,244 square meters as a tourism economic zone with information technology component.

The special economic zone, to be known as the San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park, will be developed in joint venture with property giant Ayala Land Inc.

ALI is currently building residential and commercial complexes, including one 14-story BPO building, in the area.

MJCI Investments Inc., a unit of MJCI, is allotting P383 million to put up and operate a Pagcor-accredited casino/hotel project in a 1.6-hectare lot.

Last year, MJCI secured the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s nod to run a casino, which would have an initial 200 slot machines and 10 gaming tables.

Once the casino building is completed, MJCI will start planning for the construction of a hotel adjacent to the establishment.

Incorporated in March 1937, MJCI is currently engaged in the construction, operation and maintenance of a racetrack located in Cavite and holding of horse races therein with bettings both directly or indirectly by means of mechanical, electric and computerized totalizator.

The company is also engaged in the development and sale of residential complex through joint venture arrangements with developers.

In 2005, the company entered into a joint development agreement with the Ayala Group’s Avida Land Corp. and Community Innovations Inc. to develop lots within its Manila property into residential condominium buildings and townhouses. — Zinnia dela Peña

Of slumdogs and millionaires (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=444330&publicationSubCategoryId=86)

Hats off to Danny Boyle and the success of Slumdog Millionaire, but am I alone in thinking that an equally infectious rags-to-riches story could have been cooked up here in the Philippines, with Filipino actors, dancers, humor and squalor? The feel-good depiction of Mumbai, poverty and all, doesn’t hold a candle to Filipinos, said to be the happiest people on earth. You could even have your own lottery game as the centerpiece, though somehow 6/49 Lotto doesn’t have the same ring as Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Watching the entire nation lining up for Lotto tickets last week, I couldn’t help but notice how democratizing it all is. You see folks from every social strata, ticket form in hand, gamely inching forward in the queue; meanwhile, freshly scrubbed Land Cruisers and Expeditions pull up to the curb, depositing their househelp to take their place in line as the well-off owners sit inside in air-conditioned comfort (because you can never be too rich, or too lucky); and yes, even my wife and I, whittling down our number choices before joining the line. There’s something about a P300 million pot that gets most people believing in luck again.

Inside each little PCSO booth, you notice it’s very dark. One person dispenses hundreds of computer-generated tickets per hour, handling thick bundles of cash. Where does all the money fit? Who takes it out of there on a regular basis? How much money passes through such hands, on a national basis? According to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office website, ticket sales for 2006 amounted to P9.6 billion. By law, the PCSO reserves 30 percent of that for designated charities — regional hospitals, TB, cancer and dialysis centers and the like — while 55 percent goes to the winning “pot” and 15 percent goes to operating expenses.

But the fact is, in a nation of 90 million, with millions lining up for the big payoff, only a few people per year will ever get rich. For the vast legions of Lotto believers, it has thus become an alternate religion: one believes there is a chance, if one has faith.

Contrast that with the denizens of Slumdog Millionaire. Notice how the Indian nation, at least in the movie, is focused on a game show that requires brains? Not just dumb luck? Notice how people are cheering at a display of intelligence as a way of breaking the shackles of poverty? The implicit message: brains plus honest effort will take you far.

I can’t help thinking Lotto offers a very different message. Watching the big televised Friday night drawing, dolled up like a noontime variety show with slithery dancers in the background, confetti and even a theme song (some chirpy thing about “Play the Lotto every day…”), it seems what is being offered is more escapism, dreaming, quick-buck thinking, with little or no emphasis on achievement. It’s all down to luck, this crazy thing called success.

In Slumdog Millionaire, many of the same elements of Filipino life — the daily struggles for food and work, the squatter areas, the beggar syndicates, the growing sub-economy of the call centers — are played up. This could have been a Filipino movie sweeping the Oscars instead. More quick-buck dreaming? No, just like Lotto, it’s all about the right combination: the right script, the right actors, the right story, and the right tone (and tone is very critical to worldwide attention).

Sure, Jamal, the kid who walks away rich in the movie, doesn’t have access to a lot of books and education. He’s indifferent to self-improvement; he’s just trying to get by. But it’s the effort to succeed that inspires audiences. And that effort is coupled with prodigious brainpower.

Contrast this with Lotto, with its pseudo-mystical belief in “lucky” combinations and talismanic sequences. It has little to do with effort. It has nothing to do with knowledge. It subscribes to a faith-based, bahala na approach to life’s vicissitudes.

But hey, if that’s the material Filipino filmmakers have to work with, then make the story about that.

This emphasis on get-rich-quick schemes reminds me, of course, of American lending institutions and the widespread greed that led many people to lose fortunes in stocks and even woollier investments. The Madoffs, Stanfords and others like them who swindled people are only half the equation; many people bet the farm because they wanted to get rich overnight. The vision of America becoming a nation of stockholders (as pushed by Bill Clinton) came home to roost. Paper wealth, and its dreams, does not stand up to the vicissitudes of the market. I think it’s in the Bible somewhere.

There was something of that in US President Obama’s speech to Congress the other day, in which he asked Americans to pledge themselves to completing at least a year of higher education. Whether it’s a year of community college, master’s work or a fellowship program, Obama’s inner geek sees the critical need for Americans to keep pace, intellectually, with the rest of the world. The fact that he even mentioned it in his televised speech says a lot about this administration’s priorities (in contrast to his predecessor’s).

Maybe Slumdog Millionaire does espouse a rags-to-riches mentality, pinning one’s hopes on a TV game show. Maybe believing that hard work and mental effort will make you wealthy is as illusory as picking a magical sequence of six numbers. But Lotto amounts to something a little less praiseworthy: spreading out your hopes over 52 weeks of eagerly anticipated luck per year. It’s the small gambles in life that can chip away at achievement.

Pacific Online lotto sales jump 38% in 2 mos on record jackpot (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=445056&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
Updated March 03, 2009 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - Pacific Online Systems Corp., the exclusive online lottery system provider of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in the Visayas and Mindanao, posted a 38- percent jump in lotto sales in the first two months of the year on record sales last month.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Pacific Online chief financial officer Rhederick Inciong said year-to-date PCSO lotto sales hit P1.46 billion, largely due to new terminal openings and strong support from the betting public.

In February alone, PCSO lottery sales surged 67 percent to P859.4 million from P513.2 million the same month a year ago. Lotto fever mounted as the jackpot reached P347.8 million – the largest in the history of the country’s lottery.

Improved sales of PCSO’s instant scratch cards and contributions from unit Lucky Circle Corp. also boosted Pacific Online’s financial position.

Lucky Circle sells seven instant scratch games – Mega Money, Fast Cash, Jack En Poy, Gold Rush, Pot of Gold, Red Hot 7’s and Double Dollars – in lotto outlets in SM malls and supermarkets.

Last year, Pacific Online registered profit of P740 million, up 48 percent from the 2007 level. Total PCSO lotto sales in the Visayas and Mindanao reached a record P6.49 billion or 35 percent higher than the P4.79 billion in 2007, mainly due to the addition of 200 lottery terminals.

As of end-2008, Pacific Online had a total of 1,600 lottery terminals in the Visayas and Mindanao. – Zinnia Dela Peña

Grand Utopia official lashes back at Palafox (http://http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/march/03/yehey/prov/20090303pro4.html)


SUBIC BAY Freeport: A top official of the controversial $120-million hotel and casino that has become the subject of environmental concern has finally lashed back at its former architect who turned into the project’s No. 1 critic after being sidelined from the project.

In a statement, Executive Manager Eric Ghi-Buhm Park said that Grand Utopia Inc. is deeply disappointed that their former architect Felino Palafox Jr. began criticizing their Subic Project in the media using documents of their company.

“By coming out in the media and speaking before various public gatherings [while] criticizing our Subic project, the architect has committed a breach not only of the provisions of the subcontract agreement but also of professional ethics,” Park added.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza also inspected the project site last January and confirmed that the trees remained intact at the project site.

“If architect Palafox, as our professional local architect, was sincerely concerned about the trees from the very beginning, wasn’t it his responsibility to advise his client Grand Utopia of an alternative solution instead of publicly criticizing his client’s project in an unethical way with all exaggerations?” Park rued.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza in a separate statement is urging the critics of the project to be objective and stop sensationalizing the issue that has only delayed the project.

“We still think that this project would be beneficial to the Subic Bay Freeport, especially with the projected manpower hiring of about 5,000. It’s a project proposal that we have to evaluate objectively,” Arreza said.

Arreza made the appeal after the Special Committee on Bases Conversion of the House of Representatives on Tuesday conducted its initial hearing on two resolutions seeking to investigate claims made by noted architect Palafox.

The project remained on hold since November last year after Palafox’s claims triggered protests from environmental groups concerned about trees at the project site.

The SBMA official also bared project proponent Grand Utopia Inc. has already asked the SBMA to give them an alternate location since the allegations have caused the project much delay.
--Anthony Bayarong

Ano update sa pagcor project sa roxas blvd?

Ano update sa pagcor project sa roxas blvd?

pls go to its own thread:)

meron ba? sige hanapin ko

meron ba? sige hanapin ko

oo. 3 thread nga eh!

SBMA chief blames Palafox for casino project delay (http://http://www.tribuneonline.org/business/20090312bus1.html)
By Ayen Infante
03/12/2009


The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) accused yesterday noted Filipino architect Felino Palafox Jr. of economic sabotage for causing the delay of the $80-million Ocean�s 9 casino project of Korean proponent Grand Utopia Inc.

Palafox was commissioned to oversee the design of the casino project.

SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza indicated that Palafox was trying to pressure the Korean firm to relocate the project near a resort in which the architect has a stake.

Despite the controversy, Arreza said he was able to convince the Korean firm to stay but would give support in finding another location for the project.

Arreza said SBMA is considering two separate sites to relocate the project but has yet to finalize the details with the proponent whom Arreza said was deeply discouraged by the alleged environmental issue raised by Palafox on the project.

Grand Utopia which is a state-run entity in Korea or the counterpart of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. was seriously thinking of another site to operate its casino business.

Arreza said the world-class reputation and features of Subic in accommodating its investors has helped him convince the Korean firm not to relocate the project away from the Subic Freeport.

�Now that every economy in the region is in crisis for investments that could bring thousands of jobs to pump prime their economies, here we are with one notable architect who has succeeded in sabotaging the economy,� Arreza said.

Arreza further doubts the intentions of Palafox after learning from classified documents that which the architect wanted was to get the project situated near the Subic Coastal Development Corp. near the Moon Bay Marina where Palafox has a reported five percent ownership.

�It was his personal interest from day one to move the project in an area where he has a business presence because we have documents furnished us by the Securities and Exchange Commission that he has five percent ownership in Subic Coastal,� Arreza said.

Apart from being successful in sabotaging the economy, Arreza added Palafox was also successful in giving Subic a very bad reputation.

Instead of seeing new construction activities in the freeport zone, the Palafox-made controversy has delayed the project for four months now. The delay is equivalent to $1 million a month in estimated expenses out of the pocket of the proponent.

Palafox had alleged the proposed casino when built at the original site would destroy 300 trees which Arreza said were all �lies� because even Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza and active environment groups have inspected the site and have not seen one single tree cut.

As far as Subic is concerned, the Palafox issue is already a closed case since SBMA and the DENR have stated again that the government will not allow any tree to be cut in Subic freeport zone.

The unnecessary delay will be the result of adjustments in the design of the building since the project would be relocated.

The proponent is requiring two hectares of property which Arreza said remains a big factor in finding an alternative site because there are few areas left in Subic suited for their requirement.

In spite of the problem, Arreza sees the realization of big-ticket project before the end of the year. �These are where investments that were deferred due to many reasons but have assured of coming by the 4th quarter of the year.�

SBMA is expecting $800 million in additional investments that would translate to job generation for more than 10,000 workers. Arreza projects to bring 150,000 jobs in 2010 or double from 86,000 made in 2008.

Pagcor City to create 200,000 jobs (http://http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=454223&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio Updated April 02, 2009 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - More than 200,000 jobs will be created from April to June as construction for resorts, hotels and restaurants in the PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) City will be in full swing during the second quarter.

In an interview, PAGCOR chairman and CEO Ephraim C. Genuino said construction will begin in the second quarter and employment created by investments in the PAGCOR City is estimated to exceed 200,000.

At the same time, Genuino announced that they are negotiating with three multinational firms that will bring in a minimum of $3 billion worth of new investments in the Las Vegas type city before the end of the year.

Genuino said he doesn’t know exactly how much these firms will put in the country but the minimum investment in the PAGCOR City is $1 billion. This means that the investment would be more than $3 billion.

He added that the new investments will bring in more jobs to the country.

Genuino refused to divulge who the new investors are saying only that they are from Europe, the United States and Korea. “These firms have global personalities,” he noted.

He said PAGCOR is in the process of reviewing the investment proposals. He said the study is expected to be completed within two to three months and the investment will hopefully come in before 2010.

He said investments for the PAGCOR City has deviated from amusement and has instead shifted to tourist attractions the entire family can enjoy. “Only three percent of the entire investments are geared towards gaming. Majority are tourist attractions.”

The Genting group of Malaysia and the Azure group, the Japanese partner of casino mogul Steve Wynn, each of which would be spending at least $3 billion, are the first two investors in the PAGCOR City.

The other is the investment of mall tycoon Henry Sy’s SM Investment Corp. The company is in talks with a US-based casino operator and is considering developing a one -1.2 hectare casino facility at an estimated cost of P2 billion to be rented to casino operators.

Earlier, Genuino said $20 billion would be spent in putting up the Entertainment City. The complex will be built in three phases on an 800 hectares of reclaimed land. The first phase will host a hotel-resort and theme park. The next two phases will have retirement villages and entertainment centers.

BCDA to start hosting casinos in John Hay (http://http://www.tribuneonline.org/business/20090402bus4.html)

04/02/2009

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) will welcome the entry of casino operators inside Camp John Hay in Baguio City after such gaming operations were approved by the City Council of Baguio in 2003.

In a statement, BCDA explained the establishment of a casino in Camp John Hay became possible because the City Council of Baguio on Nov. 5, 2003, approved the planned operation of a gaming and entertainment complex inside the Camp by virtue of Resolution No. 248 which states: �Resolved, as it is hereby resolved, to approve, upon the request of the BCDA for guidance, the operation of a gaming and entertainment complex inside the John Hay Special Economic Zone subject to the condition that only tourists and members of Camp John Hay would be allowed to enter and participate in the gaming activities inside the said complex.�

The resolution was signed by Reinaldo Bautista Jr., who was then Acting Vice Mayor and Temporary Presiding Officer of the City Council. Acting Baguio City Mayor Elmer Datuin approved the resolution.

In July 2008, BCDA and Camp John Hay Development Corp. signed a Casino Cooperation Agreement that was meant to ensure BCDA�s commitment to process any application for a license or permit from concerned government entities whose function is not within the mandate of BCDA such as a casino franchise and tree cutting permits. Hence it is within this context that application for a casino franchise is processed and endorsed to Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

However, in November 2008, the City Council made a turnabout, and came up with Resolution 446 opposing the establishment of a casino. This development created a situation where two City Council resolutions are in conflict with each other.

�It should be stressed that Pagcor under its charter shall obtain the consent of the local government unit that has territorial jurisdiction over the area chosen as the site for any of its operation before issuing any franchise, � it added.

Philweb sees profits doubling with e-cafés (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW052909/content.php?id=047)

LISTED PHILWEB Corp. expects core profits for 2009 to nearly double, citing significant growth in its gaming business.

At the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting yesterday, PhilWeb President Dennis O. Valdez said, "we are expecting that our core net income will reach P500 million this year, almost double that of last year."

The "main growth driver" will be casino and gaming businesses such as Sportsbetting, RESIBOnanza, and e-Games cafés which offer online poker games, among others.

As of April, profits have reached P13 million, "far better than the same period last year," he said.

PhilWeb has earmarked P70 million to P80 million for the acquisition of new computer equipment and servers this year, officials said.

"PhilWeb is planning to have at least 200 e-cafés for this year ... we already have 145 e-cafes," Mr. Valdez added.

The company also said P700 million worth of cash dividends will be distributed this year.

PhilWeb earned P98.6 million in profits for the first quarter of 2009, an increase of almost a fifth.

Revenues reached P167.55 million, higher by P78.7 million or 89% than the year-ago level of P88.83 million.

"Revenues for this year are expected to reach P675 million based on the current performance of the company," Mr. Valdez said.

so lucky bettors :)

Two lucky bettors to share P188-M Superlotto jackpot
----------------------------------------------------------------
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 05/28/2009 10:58 PM

The jackpot for the 6/49 SuperLotto has been won. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) draw on Tuesday yielded the winning combination of 28-3-47-49-5-19.

Dr Larry Cedro, PCSO spokesman, said two lucky bettors from Luzon won the jackpot. He said the prize money has reached P188,155,137.60 (US$4.03 Million).

Thousands of bettors have flocked Lotto outlets prior to the draw, hoping to get lucky and win the big payout.

The biggest Super Lotto jackpot was won by two persons last February, who shared between themselves the P347,836,903.20 jackpot.

So far, a total of 1,332 Filipinos have become millionaires since the agency launched online lottery in 1995 until December 31 last year.

Forty-two of the millionaires belong to the so-called "100 Million Club," those winning P100 million or more in the lottery.

as of 05/28/2009 10:58 PM

Sunday lotto pot to reach P145-M
By BEN R. ROSARIO
August 28, 2009, 6:04pm
Manila Bulletin

Lotto betting stations throughout the country will continue to attract long queues until Sunday after last Thursday’s draw did not produce a winner for the P131,252,979.60 pot in the six-digit draw.

Conrado Zabella, PCSO assistant manager for on-line lottery, said Sunday’s jackpot for the 6/49 Super Lotto draw is expected to balloon to at least P145 million.

Zabella said no lucky bettor was able to bet on the Thursday winning combination of 11-13-15-40-47-49.

The jackpot of over P131 million jumped by at least P17 million from last Tuesday’s draw which gave a prize dividend of P114,727,662.

Nevertheless, Zabella said at least 44 bettors were able to get five numbers in the six-digit winning combination. A total of 2,418 correctly guessed four numbers while 55,560 won consolation prizes for correctly betting on three numbers.

Zabella also urged bettors to patronize the Power Lotto game which now offers a jackpot prize of over P75 million.

The PCSO official also aired hopes the other winner in the P347.8 million jackpot during the February 22 Lotto 49 draw will still surface to claim half of the prize money.

Zabella said the amount will go to charity if the holder of the winning reticket will not show up to claim his or her winnings within a year from the draw.

This developed as Don de Leon, chief of staff of Chairman Sergio Valencia of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, aired optimism that more Filipinos seeking medical assistance will benefit from the increasing charity funds the PCSO.

“We hope more of our countrymen will patronize PCSO lotteries. The more bets we get, the bigger the fund that goes to charity projects for the less privileged Filipinos,” he said.

Alabang lotto bettor wins P151-M jackpot
By BEN R. ROSARIO
August 31, 2009, 8:05pm
Manila Bulletin

A Muntinlupa City bettor is richer by P150,952,935.60 for getting correctly the six-number combination in the Super Lotto 49 drawn Sunday night by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

Conrado Zabella, PCSO assistant manager for on-line lottery, said that the jackpot winner placed his/her bet in the lotto outlet at Zenco Footsteps at 239 Montillano St., Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Zabella said nearly R20 million was added to the Sunday jackpot following a three-day betting frenzy that started Friday, when it was announced that no bettor won the R131 million Lotto 49 jackpot last Thursday.

The winning combination was 19-45-43-10-44-9.

“However, big sales are also expected within the next few weeks as a result of the attractive jackpot for our Power Lotto game which has reached over P70 million,” Zabella said.

Last Sunday’s lucky bettor may claim his jackpot prize during office hours starting today,” Zabella said.

The PCSO official also cautioned all bettors who won both the jackpot and consolation cash prizes to take good care of their tickets to avoid invalidation.

Recalling the February 22 Lotto 49 draw that gave out the record-high P347.8 million jackpot, Zabella said only one of two jackpot winners was able to show up at the PCSO to claim her prize.

“Maybe the other winner either lost or damaged the winning ticket. Nevertheless, the jackpot winner still has until next February to claim his prize,” said Zabella.

Don de Leon, chief of staff of PCSO Chairman Sergio Valencia, revealed that the unclaimed jackpot prize of about P173 million will go to charity if unclaimed.

De Leon said the PCSO remains hopeful a winner will still claim the jackpot for the February draw.

Last Sunday’s consolation prize winners include 154 bettors of five-number winning combinations; 4,143 for four numbers and 62,601 for three numbers.

Are real money trading sites such as ingamex.com.ph (http://www.ingamex.com.ph/) included in these gambling sites?

Cockfighting business gets a new twist The Cockhouse Corp. (http://www.bworldonline.com/BW090709/content.php?id=047)

Cockfighting, known as sabong in Filipino, is a spectator sport deeply ingrained in Filipino culture. The centuries-old rooster sport, which traces its roots to the Indus Civilization, was already in the country long before the Spaniards arrived in 1521.

It was against this backdrop that Raphael F. Vallente and Edmundo A. Gorgonio founded the "The Cockhouse," a cockfighting novelty store selling apparel, literature, DVDs, caps, and mugs that bear the rooster design.

The Cockhouse was an offshoot of a penchant for cockfighting novelty products, said Mr. Vallente, company president and chief executive officer.

The store started operations in 2005 with P600,000 in initial capital. Four years later, it has grown into six outlets — at the SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Sta. Mesa, SM Mall of Asia, Duty Free Philippines, and the Gaisano Mall in Davao City.

From two employees at the onset, The Cockhouse now has 26 employees — 11 regular and 15 part-time.

The initial plan was to produce DVDs on cockfighting. Later on, the owners decided to include T-shirts and other novelty items in the store’s product line to satisfy customer demand.

"T-shirts are the company’s best-sellers in terms of quantity. But if we are talking about peso value, our DVD productions are the top-sellers since they are priced higher," said Mr. Vallente, a business management graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University.

"Even non-aficionados would still buy our t-shirts because of their good quality and creative designs," he added.

Mr. Vallente said the firm is also positioning its products as alternative gift items. "Many Filipinos have a friend or relative who is a cockfighting aficionado," he said.

The company has a three-pronged business strategy: brand, availability and visibility. Mr. Vallente makes sure that the company’s products are available and visible to the most number of cockfighting aficionados possible.

To build brand awareness at a minimal cost, The Cockhouse resorted to guerilla marketing tactics such as inserting leaflets in local cockfighting publications and selling in venues where big annual derbies are held.

"We also go directly to the manufacturer of our products to get the best price possible," Mr. Vallente said.

"Strict conservation practices also help us in keeping energy and transportation expenses at a minimum level."

The company has partnered with Video City, Odyssey, AstroVision, National Book Store, Tower Records and SM Records to market its DVD titles, the 39-year-old entrepreneur said.

The launch of the company’s Web site extended its reach to provincial and overseas Filipino clients since five of the company’s six outlets are Metro Manila-based.

Mr. Vallente believes that franchising is the best way to expand the company in the domestic market, even after having closed two franchises of the formerly eight-strong store network. "Franchising will help us reach our eight to 10 million potential customers in the country," he said.

The Cockhouse will soon sell products at Kultura shops in SM Malls and other Filipiniana stores, he added.

The company also hopes to tap the foreign market in the future. "Right now, we are receiving a lot of inquiries from foreigners on how they could franchise our business in their countries where cockfighting is legal," Mr. Vallente said.

He expressed optimism that The Cockhouse will meet its target of 20% growth this year. "We will be releasing six new t-shirt designs, eight new DVD titles, and additional novelty items by the end of the year," Mr. Vallente said.

"As for our estimate, we haven’t touched 10% of the total market," he added.

Competition is welcome in such a fledgling novelty item industry, according to Mr. Vallente. "But I’m confident that the company will succeed because we are the first player ... to read and understand our customers’ wants and needs," he said.

I like cock fighting and it would be good for the sport to have a DVD collection, its one way of research on whose the best breeders and bloodlines in the industry.

Philippines Expands its Online Gambling Service (http://gamingzion.com/gamblingnews/philippines-expands-its-online-gambling-service-1158)

According to Philippine gambling laws, the only company allowed to offer gambling services to players in the Philippines is the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR). PAGCOR is owned and controlled by the government, and holds a strong monopoly over all gambling in the country. While PAGCOR has offered limited online gambling services in the past, the company just unveiled a new site that seeks to expand the company’s online offerings.

The Philippines is actually home to dozens of online casinos and other internet gambling websites, but most of these sites cater exclusively to players in other countries, and cannot be accessed by locals. This new site, called E-Games Online, is operated by PhilSeb Homeplay, Inc., a Philippine company that specializes in internet gambling operations. PhilWeb already works with PAGCOR to provide a massive network of electronic gambling cafes across the country.

This new online gambling site in the Philippines was created to help PAGCOR maintain its monopoly over gambling in the country – a task which can be difficult when it comes to gambling online. Instead of trying to prevent Filipinos from using offshore gambling websites, the government is trying to provide local players with an attractive alternative. “This is an important step in fulfilling Pagcor’s mission to deliver secure, legal, fair and convenient games of chance to adults throughout the country,” said Dennis O. Valdes, PhilWeb president.

E-Games Online does have a certain amount of local appeal, since it caters specifically to Filipino players. The site even accepts local credit cards, and players can even make deposits in person at certain offices across the country. Many players, however, still choose to use one of the many other internet gambling sites that accept players from the Philippines – these sites offer more variety and a different level of services than what PAGCOR delivers.

INTERNATIONAL POKER TOURNAMENT IN MANILA
http://www.pagcor.ph/entertainment/images/poker/poker-1-million-big.jpg
PAGCOR will be conducting one of the biggest in Asia and the biggest ever locally-organized poker tournament in the Philippines. “The First PAGCOR Chairman Efraim C. Genuino International Poker Tournament” guarantees a prize pool of US$1 Million.

The tournament is set on March 20 – 25, 2010 with eliminations at the Manila Pavilion Hotel in historic Manila, Philippines. It will be one of the main events of the 5th Asian Gaming and Entertainment Expo (Asia’s GEM) at the SMX Convention Center where the tournament’s final table will also be held.

The tournament shall showcase top international poker players. They shall be up against key players of licensed poker clubs and casinos from all over the Philippines to outlast each other and emerge as the last man (or woman) standing.

The event hopes to boost the poker industry in the Philippines and targets to bring slumbering poker talents in home games to come play it out at any of PAGCOR’s licensed poker clubs.
http://www.pagcor.ph/entertainment/poker/news/poker-million.html

Korean firm starts upgrade of Subic casino

By Robert Gonzaga
Central Luzon Desk
First Posted 23:26:00 02/04/2010

Filed Under: Gaming & Lotteries

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT— A Korean firm has started to renovate a group of hotels and a casino here that used to be operated by Legend International Resorts Limited (LIRL).

Armand Arreza, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority administrator, said the hotels, casino and an unfinished facility built by Hong Kong-registered LIRL had been handed over to Philkor Neorex, a Korean firm planning to build the Ocean 9 casino here.

Arreza said the courts had ordered LIRL to vacate the Main Legenda, Grand Legenda and El Centro establishments last month.

With the legal battle out of the way, “we can move to begin operations of our own casino,” said Charles Susung Kim, Philkor Neorex president.

He said the firm will soon start the training of new personnel.

Kim said the renovation and his company’s planned investment in the next five years would make Ocean 9 the top casino facility in Asia.

“[This is an opportunity to create] a beautiful, distinctive business. If you look at Macau, that place was built for game players only. But here in Subic, there is more variety. The focus here is on family and so the establishments that you see around reflect that,” he said.

Aside from the quality of life in Subic, the airport, golf course and various leisure-oriented establishments in the area add up to “make it very attractive to foreign guests who will come from different countries, especially Korea,” he said.

A hurdle that his company needs to overcome, Kim said, is the shortage of qualified workers here. He said the service orientation of Koreans and the infrastructure of Subic are a good combination. He said a training program for Filipino workers will be in place to achieve this.

He said about 4,000 workers will be hired by Philkor Neorex for the renovation, construction and operation of Ocean 9’s hotels and casino.

UP studes stand tall in Global Game Jam Manila gaming tournament
February 6, 2010, 5:13pm

Students of the Department of Computer Science (DCS) made a good account of themselves in the just concluded Global Game Jam Manila held last January 29-31, 2010 at the UP Information Technology Training Center (UP ITTC). The DCS students won runner-up honors in the Jury's Choice Award for their Wii-based "Color Blunder" game.

Composed mostly of senior computer science majors, the WSG (or Web Science Group) was the only team to develop two innovative games in just 48 hours. The Wii-based "Color Blunder" used Bluetooth technology while "Trash Talk" applied optical/object recognition via a webcam. Both games were the only entries that used augmented reality and external gadgets.

"Their games were quite novel. They used multiple modes of interaction for game players. The game players can interact with the computer thru a webcam or Bluetooth enabled gadgets and they were able to complete the game in a short span of time," said Dr. Jaime D. L. Caro, UP ITTC Director. "I'm proud that despite the fact that they were competing with some professional game developers they still stood out and showed creativity and programming fluency," he added.

The game "Crease," an engaging and graphically rich paper-folding game developed by professional game developers took the Jury's Choice award. "There are actually no winners or losers in this fun-filled activity. The awards were given just to inspire the participants and to add fun to the event," said Ryan Sumo, International Gaming Developers Association (IGDA Manila) head and game jam organizer.

Some 32 local jammers joined the first staging of Global Game Jam in the country, "ranging from students to hobbyist to full fledged game development professionals, all bound by a love of making games," Sumo said. They were joined by close to 4,000 other global jammers in 35 countries.

The Filipino game jammers were able to turn in 10 games within the allowed time limit and restrictions and in accordance to this year's theme of deception. "Many of these (games) really are just experiments or fulfillment of a goal to make games. There were a few though, especially the award winning "Crease" that I definitely think have market potential. Ultimately it will be up to the participants to decide what to do with the games, since it is their copyrighted property," said Sumo.

The game jam was a showcase of creativity in the local gaming industry. "It's showing the world that we have a talented pool of game developers that rival anyone in the world," Sumo said. "I hope that game jam helps to sow the seeds of the future of Philippine game development, helping to create a burgeoning industry that rivals the BPO sector," he added.

Game development in the country is still in its infancy because of astronomical costs and logistics. But Sumo says Filipino game developers can compete in the realm of indie and casual games where the field is wide open. I think that Philippine game developers are on equal footing with anyone in the world. The Manila Game Jam is one way of proving this not only to the world but to the participants themselves."

Source (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/242231/up-studes-stand-tall-global-game-jam-manila-gaming-tournament)

Next Macau to rise in Parañaque (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2010/march/19/metro1.isx&d=2010/march/19)

In a bid to make the country as the next Macau, President Gloria Arroyo has declared a parcel of land in Parañaque City that is being groomed as Asia’s gaming capital.

Mrs. Arroyo signed Proclamation 2019 declaring the Bagong Nayong Pilipino–Entertainment City a tourism economic zone to attract more foreign investors.

Converting the property into an economic zone would enable locators to enjoy perks such as exemptions from certain taxes.

Director-general Lilia de Lima of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority said the government allow foreign ownership in full as long as the industry is not included in the negative list drawn up by Malacañang.

Mrs. Arroyo issued the Eighth Regular Foreign Investment Negative List contained in Executive Order 858 on Feb. 5 stated that foreign investors may enter the local gambling sector for up to 40 percent equity and in any combination if they have outstanding agreements with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. and are situated in economic zones.

The reclaimed Pagcor property measuring 656,707 square meters, is being developed as a tourism and casino center with spaces allotted to a retirement village, hotels, residential and office condominiums, commercial centers and casinos.

The first phase of the multi-billion dollar project is expected to be completed within the next two years, as private real estate firms have already poured in investments with gaming firms from various countries lining up as zone locators.

Bagong Nayong Pilipino is touted as the country’s answer to Macau, which holds the distinction as Asia’s casino capital.

Pagcor said the complex was designed for more than a million new tourists yearly, projecting employment for at least 40,000 Filipinos “whose income levels will be “at par with other hotel casino complexes in the region and whose salaries will be in United States dollars” during initial operations.

“In addition to the direct employment, indirect employment of support operations could amount to 150,000 additional jobs,” Pagcor said in a statement.

“Upon full implementation, it could triple the present annual income generation of Pagcor from $500 million to $1.5 billion, thus dramatically increasing the income of the national government.”

Foreigners allowed to join gaming sector (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/03/17/10/foreigners-allowed-join-gaming-sector)

A directive allowing the entry of foreign investors into the local gaming sector has been issued by Malacañang.

Executive Order 858, put out Feb. 5, contains the Eighth Regular Foreign Investment Negative List or the investment areas and activities that may be opened to foreign investors.

The list retained almost all the prohibited fields and activities for foreign investors that was indicated in the seventh list issued on Dec. 8, 2006, except for an exemption given with respect to gambling.

The previous list had set a total ban on the entry of foreign investors in the local gaming industry.

Annexed to Malacañang directive was List B -- enumerating limitations due to risks on security, defense, health and morals of Filipinos, and protection of small and medium enterprises -- which indicated that foreign investors may engage in businesses related to any form of gambling provided they are covered by investment agreements with Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Foreign-owned gaming firms must be situated in special economic zones administered by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

The EO in effect reinforces a provision in Republic Act 9487 -- amendments to the Pagcor charter -- dated June 20, 2007, which basically allows the state firm to enter into investments, joint ventures, and management agreements with any person, firm or association.

The foreign investment negative list is periodically issued by the president upon the recommendation of the National Economic and Development Authority.

It contains two lists, with List A containing the limitations on foreign ownership mandated by the constitution and specific laws.

The lists likewise prohibits foreign entities from engaging in small-scale mining as well as retail trade enterprises with paid-up capital of less than $2.5 million, owning and operating private security agencies, utilizing marine resources, and the manufacture of firecrackers, pyrotechnic devices, and biological, chemical and radiological weapons.

Foreign investors may have limited ownership of private radio communications networks, recruitment agencies for local or overseas employment, advertising firms, public utilities, financing companies and investment houses, among many others.

EO 858 did not specify expiry dates to the lists. Amendments to List A can be made any time while changes in List B cannot be made more often than once every two years.

FILIPINO POKER TOUR

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http://www.pokerstarsblog.com/3024517685_c94ef8b937_b.jpg

www.filipinopokertour.com/

Pacific Online Systems posts net income of P263M for 2009
MANILA, March 21 (PNA) - Gaming company Pacific Online Systems Corporation, in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, announced that its net income for 2009 amounted to P263 million or significantly higher than the P130 million posted the previous year.

The gaming company said its consolidated revenues grew 20 percent to P962 million as more people are betting in the lottery in the hope of becoming instant millionaires.

With lottery and scratch card ticket sales hitting all-time highs, the company is expected to perform even better this year amid an improving business climate, said Willy Ocier, chairman and president of Pacific Online.

“The company expects to surpass its financial performance in 2009 through the continuous rollout of terminals for all online PCSO products nationwide, introduction of new games, more intensified marketing and distribution of instant ticket sales and wider network of retail lotto outlets,” he said.

Given the company’s strong financial results, its board of directors approved the declaration of a cash dividend of P0.75 per share, broken down into three payouts of P0.25 each –May 6 for stockholders of record as of April 20, August 16 for stockholders of record as of July 23 and December 10 for stockholders of record as of November 19, 2010.

Pacific Online, the exclusive lotto system provider in Visayas and Mindanao for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, announced last month it was preparing to implement SMS-based lotto and has earmarked P100 million for this venture.

By allowing betting on the lottery games through text, the PCSO and Pacific Online expects to widen the reach of its lottery games. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=3&sid=&nid=3&rid=265521

PS3 launch festivities in Philippines detailed (http://www.examiner.com/x-6894-Video-Game-News-Examiner~y2010m3d19-PS3-launch-festivities-in-Philippines-detailed)

Although the Playstation 3 was first released in 2006, the high-definition video game system still hasn’t been released in the Philippines. That is about to change, however, as Sony is planning to bring the Playstation 3 to that territory on March 27th.

The Filipino branch of Sony has provided a list of launch festivities to accommodate the arrival of their system. Activities include Cosplay, where fans dress up as their favorite video game or anime character to participate in a fashion contest or take it one step further by creating a 2 minute fight scene. There will also be competitions for Tekken: Dark Resurrection (PSP) and Ridge Racer 7. Prizes compose of a brand new PSP and Playstation 3 systems.

Finally, the first 100 consumers who buy the Playstation 3 will get discounts for games and accessories. All the festivities will be held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City, Metro Manila from March 27th to the 28th. For the full details, go to this link (http://www.sony.com.ph/microsite/PS2010/PlayStation_Mar2010_Newsletter.html).

Pagcor inks partnership deal with MII on hotel, casino

By Doris Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:02:00 03/22/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Investment holding firm MJCI Investments Corp. (MII) has entered into a partnership deal with the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) on a hotel and casino venture.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday, MII said it had executed an agreement with Pagcor for the latter to establish, manage and operate a casino at a hotel to be constructed by MII on a 1.4-hectare property within the San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The site is part of the former racetrack, the San Lazaro Hippodrome, and is now a special zone registered at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

"The casino facility complements the government's tourism program in the City of Manila," MII said.

MII, formerly known as Aries Prime Resources, Inc. was established in 1955 to engage in the mining business. It eventually stopped its mining operations and changed its primary purpose from mining to that of an investment holding company in 1997

Proposed law calls to declare cockfighting as part of national heritage

Plaza urges house to recognise sport

* By Gilbert P. Felongco, Correspondent
* Published: 00:00 March 25, 2010
* Gulf News
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/philippines/proposed-law-calls-to-declare-cockfighting-as-part-of-national-heritage-1.602447

Manila : A letter submitted to the House of Representatives calls for declaring cockfighting as part of the country's national cultural heritage.

Representative Rodolfo Plaza, author of the letter, said cockfighting is deeply engrained in the customs and traditions of Filipinos and that the sport is already part of their identity.

Cockfighting, a sport which pits two roosters fitted with razor sharp blades against each other is a popular, traditional and customary form of recreation and entertainment among Filipinos especially during holidays, fiestas, fairs and other events.

Plaza, who represents the congressional district of Agusan del Sur, is urging the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the National Historical Institute to declare cockfighting as part of the intangible Philippine cultural heritage.

"Intangible cultural heritage includes practices, representations expressions and skills, as well as the objects, instruments and artefacts that communities, groups and individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage," Plaza said.

Purpose built arenas

Presently, cockfights are allowed inside purpose built arenas where betting is legal, but clandestine matches also abound.

Plaza argued that even the law that bans illegal cockfights, Presidential Decree No 449, or the Cockfighting Law, recognises that cockfighting is a vehicle for the preservation and perpetuation of native Filipino heritage that enhances national identity.

"Cockfighting should neither be exploited as an object of commercialism or business enterprise nor made a tool of uncontrolled gambling," Plaza said.

"Cockfighting must be recognised and institutionalised as part of the national cultural heritage and must be promoted, protected and enhanced," Plaza said.

Reacting on the news that cockfighting may soon be declared as part of the country's national heritage, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society said they were "aghast".

Gaming industry leaders cite RP's regulatory practices
(The Philippine Star) Updated March 26, 2010 12:00 AM

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4317/bus7hires.jpg
ASIA’S GEM OPENING: John Flynn, deputy chief of the investigations unit, Nevada Gaming Control Board, and PAGCOR chairman and CEO Efraim C. Genuino are shown here during the opening of the Asia’s Gaming and Entertainment plus Leisure Expo 2010 (Asia’s GEM).

MANILA, Philippines - Nevada Gaming Commission deputy chief, John Flynn, lauded the operational strengths of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) in his speech at the Gaming Tourism and Investments Congress, held yesterday in conjunction with the 5th Asia’s Gaming Entertainment plus Leisure Expo Manila (Asia’s GEM) at the Marriott Hotel in Resorts World Manila.

In his speech entitled “Gaming Regulatory Practices: In response to Global Challenges,” Flynn said he was impressed by PAGCOR’s strong emphasis on procedures and a good set of internal controls that have helped the state-run gaming firm protect its assets.

The topic arose as Flynn expounded on the three main “dangers” to the industry in the absence of a strong regulatory framework. The three interrelated dangers are: Financial fraud, organized crime involvement and shady source of capital.

In an interview, Flynn said that PAGCOR’s internal controls, particularly its segmentation of duties are beneficial in averting financial fraud which in turn shields the corporation from involvement with organized crime. “The more people that get involved in a process, the harder it is to get away with shady deals,” Flynn noted.

Flynn also extolled PAGCOR’s initiative to give all its casino workers, a gaming employment license. “This (sort of ID) system is really commendable, since it allows PAGCOR, as the main gaming regulator in the country, to conduct background checks and ensure that all of its casino workers are credible,” he added.

He further encouraged casino operators to comply with the regulatory statutes of each country they operate in. At the same time, he advised gaming regulators around the world to come up with regulatory controls that are “not too strict to stifle down the industry,” while still being appropriate to control and combat the three main dangers.

Likewise, he expressed hope in the emerging nations’ capabilities to be among the best gaming, entertainment and tourism hubs in Asia and around the world. “PAGCOR must continue on its track of innovation and continuous self-improvement, by providing world-class services to its clientele,” Flynn added.

PAGCOR chairman Efraim Genuino, who was delighted with Flynn’s observations and commendations, said: “We are committed to our vision making PAGCOR a world-class corporation with a Filipino heart, and we shall never stop till the good becomes better and the better becomes best.”

Joining Flynn in lauding PAGCOR was Michael Boettcher, president and CEO of Storm International, who expressed appreciation for the outstanding hospitality he experienced from the state-run gaming firm.

“I congratulate PAGCOR for this event that has truly grown for the past five years,” he said. “One of the measures is by the number of important people who have come here to join this conference.”

David Orrick, Communications CEO for International Austrian Gaming Industries Inc. also singled out his commendations to PAGCOR and the Asia’s GEM for its development and achievement through the years.

“In half a decade that I have joined Asia’s GEM, I have become extremely enthusiastic about gaming in Asia as a whole because of the dream and efforts of PAGCOR. I am very confident about greater things to come,” he said.

Google TV Will Enhance Online Casino Gambling (http://casinonewsauthority.com/google-tv-will-enhance-online-casino-gambling/124700/)
May 30th, 2010

http://casinonewsauthority.com/images/google-tv-online-casino-gambling.png

Google will be offering a new Google TV service by the end of 2010 which will enable anyone to surf the Internet using their television. This new offering will certainly enhance online casino gambling and far more people in the world will be able to gamble at an online casino from home.

Imagine playing your favorite casino games on a wide-screen plasma TV that hangs on the wall in your living room. This technology is already available in Asia with consumers in the Philippines being able to hook a box up to their television and access the Internet on their TV. The Internet signal is being transmitted to the TV via the 3G technology of their local cell tower.

Gambling through the TV is already available in the United Kingdom, but Google reaches almost every country in the world, and the online gambling operators are anxiously awaiting the time when they’ll be able to advertise to users of this new device. Gambling online is so much fun, but the one negative is that you have to sit at the computer to play your favorite casino games. With the new Google TV, gambling at the computer will be a thing of the past.

Malapit na ang katapusan ng mga Genuino sa PAGCOR.

Malapit na ang katapusan ng mga Genuino sa PAGCOR.

True.


Kala ni Genuino at ng backer nya sa Palasyo habang buhay niyang gagatasan ang Pagcor at sila lagi maghahari...patay sila kay Noynoy at ang avenging LP.

Kaya kaming maka NP at Villar...contructive opposition lang..kunin ang Senado at makipag-alliance sa lower house.

FILIPINO POKER TOUR



http://philippinesfunwall.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/neil-arce-2009-apt-manila-main-event-champion.jpg


sino siya?hehehehe

^^^^Pero anyway, sana matuloy na yung bagong nayon Pilipino kahit hindi puro sugalan o casino ilagay...mga amusement park, hotels and sporting venues, or even a zoo ang sana ilagay...

Proposed law calls to declare cockfighting as part of national heritage

Plaza urges house to recognise sport

* By Gilbert P. Felongco, Correspondent
* Published: 00:00 March 25, 2010
* Gulf News
http://gulfnews.com/news/world/philippines/proposed-law-calls-to-declare-cockfighting-as-part-of-national-heritage-1.602447

Manila : A letter submitted to the House of Representatives calls for declaring cockfighting as part of the country's national cultural heritage.

Representative Rodolfo Plaza, author of the letter, said cockfighting is deeply engrained in the customs and traditions of Filipinos and that the sport is already part of their identity.

Cockfighting, a sport which pits two roosters fitted with razor sharp blades against each other is a popular, traditional and customary form of recreation and entertainment among Filipinos especially during holidays, fiestas, fairs and other events.

Plaza, who represents the congressional district of Agusan del Sur, is urging the National Commission for Culture and Arts and the National Historical Institute to declare cockfighting as part of the intangible Philippine cultural heritage.

"Intangible cultural heritage includes practices, representations expressions and skills, as well as the objects, instruments and artefacts that communities, groups and individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage," Plaza said.

Purpose built arenas

Presently, cockfights are allowed inside purpose built arenas where betting is legal, but clandestine matches also abound.

Plaza argued that even the law that bans illegal cockfights, Presidential Decree No 449, or the Cockfighting Law, recognises that cockfighting is a vehicle for the preservation and perpetuation of native Filipino heritage that enhances national identity.

"Cockfighting should neither be exploited as an object of commercialism or business enterprise nor made a tool of uncontrolled gambling," Plaza said.

"Cockfighting must be recognised and institutionalised as part of the national cultural heritage and must be promoted, protected and enhanced," Plaza said.

Reacting on the news that cockfighting may soon be declared as part of the country's national heritage, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society said they were "aghast".



I dont support this. Cockfighting is a cruel sport. This goes against the Animal Welfare Act.

^^^^Pero anyway, sana matuloy na yung bagong nayon Pilipino kahit hindi puro sugalan o casino ilagay...mga amusement park, hotels and sporting venues, or even a zoo ang sana ilagay...

Id like a continuity of Genuino's role in PAGCOR. Kung wala sa kanya hindi nasimulan ang BNP. For investors and businessmen, continuity is important in business. For a long term project like BNP, you need to deal with predictable people and government. Otherwise walang kwenta maginvest sa isang business na paiba iba ng kausap.

I dont support this. Cockfighting is a cruel sport. This goes against the Animal Welfare Act.

Cruel sport? Every day, there is cockfighting here in towns, provinces and cities whether small time, pintakasi, international cockfighting at Araneta Coliseum with millions of pesos exchanging among the bettors. I don't like it but we get this from our former colonial master - Spain. :)


Id like a continuity of Genuino's role in PAGCOR. Kung wala sa kanya hindi nasimulan ang BNP. For investors and businessmen, continuity is important in business. For a long term project like BNP, you need to deal with predictable people and government. Otherwise walang kwenta maginvest sa isang business na paiba iba ng kausap.

Me, too.

related news.
PAGCOR HITS P29.78B TOTAL REVENUE IN 2009 (that's huge, US$662 M)

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) showed extraordinary resiliency in 2009 after it hit its income target for the year, in spite of the financial crisis across the globe.



PAGCOR posted P29.78 billion unaudited total annual income, almost one per cent higher than its P29.61 billion total annual income in 2008.



Although the increase in income was smaller compared to the previous years, the PAGCOR management said it “was a notable achievement” especially given the devastating impact of the global economic crunch, even to the most powerful economies in the world. Also, amidst the crisis, PAGCOR’s total income in 2009, according to PAGCOR Chairman Efraim C. Genuino, was recorded as the highest in history.



“The year 2009 was tough for many industries, including the gaming and entertainment sector in Asia and the United States. A huge percentage of Las Vegas, for instance slowly became bank-owned due to the high foreclosure rates of hotel and commercial properties. Unemployment rate in the Las Vegas strip alone jumped from 3.8% to 12.3% after numerous commercial and gaming establishments closed shop,” Genuino said.

The PAGCOR chief said that the state-run gaming firm was not spared from the economic recession. However, the Philippine gaming industry thrived amidst the crisis by providing alternative entertainment and amusement options.



“Our country is surrounded by vast natural wonders, relaxation sites and world-class accommodations that are easy on the pocket. We offer foreign tourists a good chance to unwind and enjoy the good life without having to shell out a fortune,” Genuino added.



Genuino cited that next to the PAGCOR casino branches in Manila, which posted the highest business income in 2009, Cebu City, Tagaytay and the provincial branches in Luzon are the next favorite destinations of players, who are potential tourists as well.



Apart from the country’s tourism potential, the PAGCOR management attributes the Corporation’s success to excellent customer service, win-win marketing strategies, the commitment of its 12,000 strong workforce and the business paradigm shift from mere casino gaming to total entertainment. Currently, PAGCOR is staging the world-class theatrical dance production dubbed Flow at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Paranaque City as part of its plan to make the Philippines a venue for international shows.


“We have not stopped thinking of creative ways to attract more customers and boost the Corporation’s income. We have to rise above any crisis and be competitive, otherwise, we will be left behind by our international counterparts,” Genuino said.
http://www.pagcor.ph/news/pagcor-hits-29b-total-revenue-in-2009.php

Cruel sport? Every day, there is cockfighting here in towns, provinces and cities whether small time, pintakasi, international cockfighting at Araneta Coliseum with millions of pesos exchanging among the bettors. I don't like it but we get this from our former colonial master - Spain. :)



Me, too.




Yes, I think it is cruel sport. Headhunting was part of our culture as well (esp in the northern tribes, but that does not mean that we have to continue it. As the civilisation advances, we must improve our ways too.

True.Kala ni Genuino at ng backer nya sa Palasyo habang buhay niyang gagatasan ang Pagcor at sila lagi maghahari...patay sila kay Noynoy at ang avenging LP.

Kaya kaming maka NP at Villar...contructive opposition lang..kunin ang Senado at makipag-alliance sa lower house.

Pumunta lang sa bayan ng Los Baños, Laguna para makita saan pumupunta ang pera ng PAGCOR.

I dont support this. Cockfighting is a cruel sport. This goes against the Animal Welfare Act.



Id like a continuity of Genuino's role in PAGCOR. Kung wala sa kanya hindi nasimulan ang BNP. For investors and businessmen, continuity is important in business. For a long term project like BNP, you need to deal with predictable people and government. Otherwise walang kwenta maginvest sa isang business na paiba iba ng kausap.

You can tell that to anone... He likes it :D, or was it swordfighting? :D

Cruel sport? Every day, there is cockfighting here in towns, provinces and cities whether small time, pintakasi, international cockfighting at Araneta Coliseum with millions of pesos exchanging among the bettors. I don't like it but we get this from our former colonial master - Spain. :)

Cockfighting is typically Filipino. Spain and other Hispanic countries have bull fighting. I agree that both are cruel sports.

Cockfighting is typically Filipino. Spain and other Hispanic countries have bull fighting. I agree that both are cruel sports.

You mean even before the Spaniards came, cockfighting was known to Filipinos?

I read somewhere that in 1950s Manila, there was bull fighting at Rizal Stadium....

I found the article.
Bulls in Manila
CITY SENSE By Paulo Alcazaren (The Philippine Star) Updated January 24, 2009 12:00 AM
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/5205/mliving3mp5.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/2176/mliving3bka6.jpg
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/9175/mliving3cyg2.jpg


Gong Xi Fa Cai! It’s the Year of the Ox/Bull. The Chinese New Year brings with it a hope that, because it is the year of the bull, the local and global economies take a turn for the better.

Some say, of course, that there are no bulls in Manila. That may be true, now that animal-drawn transport is long gone, but a century ago Manila was the sight of carabao-pulled carts (our version of the Chinese ox) and the spectacle of regular bullfights. A book on the Philippines, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Cuba compiled by Trumbull (that’s his real name) White published in 1898 entitled Our New Possessions reports:

“The sports of Manila are materially different from those to which we are accustomed, for their favorites have been bull-fighting and cock-fighting. The bullring in Manila, in the suburb of Paco, draws great crowds when the entertainment is offered, in spite of the fact that the performances are by no means spirited. Neither Spanish bullfighters nor Spanish bulls are brought to the island, so that native talent has to be obtained for both roles. The bulls are timid and lazy, the bull-fighters are little better so that the traveler does not see bullfighting of the same sort that he would in Spain, Cuba or Mexico.”

Another account in a separate book published in the same year was written by Trumbull’s fellow American Joseph Earle Stevens. His account covered a deviant form of animal-based entertainment held early that year in the February chill that ran a nippy 74 degrees Fahrenheit. He reported an event proclaimed in posters all around the city as “Struggle between wild beasts — grand fight to the death between full-bloodied Spanish bull, and royal Bengal tiger, direct from the jungles of India.”

Stevens’s account noted that this “queer…and not altogether edifying” show was to be held in the rice fields of Paco, east of the chic Ermita district. It was to be the last event before the bullring closed and was the buzz of Manila. “For days before the show came off, conversation in the cafes along the Escolta invariably turned to the subject of the coming exhibition, and it was evident that the managers fully intended to both reap a large harvest of heavy dollars and to wind up the career of the bull-ring association in a blaze of blood and glory.”

The fight was held on a Sunday, which found “…everybody directing his steps toward the wooden structure (made of) a lot of rickety seats piled around a circular arena. The reserved sections were covered with a light roof, to keep off the afternoon sun, but the bleaching boards for those that held only billetes del sol were exposed to the blinding glare. The audience, a crowd of 3,000 persons, with dark faces showing above suits of white sheeting, found the center of the ring ornamented with a huge iron cage …while off to the sides were smaller cages containing the fieras or wild beasts.”

There was a front act before the main event, an exhibition of panthers and in their midst a man in pink tights who ate dinner calmly on a makeshift table. The panthers did not take an interest on the man or his dinner (the tights probably threw them off) so a deer was introduced into the cage. The delicacy didn’t do much to budge the panthers despite prodding from their trainers. The crowd hissed their disapproval so the main event got underway.

“The great shouts of El toro! El toro! arose, as off at the small gate …appeared the bull, calmly walking forward, under the guidance of two natives, who didn’t wear any shoes. And renewed applause arose, as the small, heavy cage containing the royal Bengal tiger was rolled up to a sliding door …a bunch of firecrackers was set off...and the great Indian cat rushed forth and tried to swallow a man who was standing outside the bars…the bull stood quietly in one corner wagging his tail, and after blinking his eyes once or twice, proceeded to examine his antagonist, in almost a friendly spirit. In fact, there seemed to be no hard feelings at all between the two beasts, and the tiger only wanted to get at the man …the audience howled, jeered at the tiger, bet on the bull and criticized the man …as he gave the tiger several hard pokes in the ribs (with his pitchfork). This served to anger the beast so that he finally did make a dive for the bull, and promptly found himself tossed into the air. But as he came down, he hung on to the bull’s nose, and dug his claws into the tough hide.”

Let me spare you the rest of the gory account. Also, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) might get on my case for glorifying this blood sport. The group actually was successful in blocking a comeback for the sport here in 1999. The bullring of 1898 was indeed torn down. I find little indication of the facility or the sport in maps or accounts of the next few decades. Cockfighting and jai alai took over from then until the war.

The 1950s, however, brought back one more appearance of the bullring and bullfighting. This was during and after the 1953 Manila International Fair (which I featured before). The sunken gardens right outside the walls of Intramuros and opposite the old Congress (now the National Museum) were the site of the spectacle. The bulls and matadors this time came from Spain. It were a big hit and continued after the fair. The events brought the cream of society with ladies in their Sunday best. The fact that it was in front of the Legislative Building made it a favorite with congressmen and senators, despite the fact that Philippine politics was a bloodier sport.

Today little is heard of the sport of the matador. The term is now used only by men working in our stinking abattoirs. Filipinos still love their blood sport; with cockfighting and Pacquiao the main draws.

Year 2009 is the Year of the Bull. With the animal’s return, everyone is hoping to reap as much profit as Pacquiao has in his last few fights. One has to remember though that Pacquiao had to really work hard, train long and suffer real punishment to get to the point of victory. Are we really willing to fight the good fight? Or are we just willing to take all the bull our leaders are giving us? Have we not had enough? (Punong, puno na ba kayo?)

The Year of the Bull means that we will only progress and profit through honest hard work. Let’s get on with it.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleid=434152

Stop casino openings, bishops urge Aquino By Tarra Quismundo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 05:31:00 06/15/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Catholic bishops Monday called on President-elect Benigno Aquino III to put a stop to the outgoing administration’s plan to open more casinos around the country, stressing that gambling “destroys families and corrupts people.”

In a pastoral letter released Monday, Archbishop Socrates Villegas and six bishops from the Lingayen-Dagupan archdiocese urged the incoming President to stop the planned opening of two new casinos in Urdaneta City in Pangasinan and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.

“If it is not legally possible to close all casinos immediately, we plead with the government not to open new ones,” the bishops said.

“We appeal to the government to aggressively fight corruption and diminish poverty. One of the first steps the government must take is to stop the opening of more casinos,” the letter said.

Bishops Jacinto Jose (Urdaneta), Mylo Hubert Vergara (San Jose), Artemio Rillera (San Fernando), Marlo Peralta (Alaminos), Sofronio Bancud (Cabanatuan) and Renato Mayugba (Lingayen-Dagupan auxiliary) signed the letter dated June 14.

“The right step is values education for the children and livelihood opportunities for the poor. Opening another casino—in Urdaneta and San Leonardo or in any other place—is a step deviating from our vision,” the prelates said.

The church leaders said they were counting on Aquino’s battle cry during the campaign against poverty and corruption.

Gambling would aggravate both problems, they said, as casinos would “open more doors for corruption” and lead to “the impoverishment of the families of gamblers.”

“Where the casinos operate now we see the ill effects on the socio-moral fiber of the citizenry—the rise of criminality, the spread of prostitution and the shameless corruption of those engaged in the business,” they said.

“We appeal to the government to aggressively fight corruption and diminish poverty. One of the first steps the government must take is to stop the opening of more casinos,” the prelates said.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), which operates the casinos in the Philippines, is one of the top revenue-generating corporations of the government. It provides the multibillion-peso Presidential Social Fund.

Casinos, Pagcor officials had said, provide many jobs and serve as a magnet for tourism and foreign investments. Casinos and other leisure facilities are standard in most cities of the world.

^^ The hypocrites. Gambling or casinos already exist long long time ago....The church even gets money/donation from PAGCOR thru social projects

^^These b**ches need some divine intervention from their buffoonery! What part of "separation of church and state" do they fail to comprehend???

I'm a catholic but this is pure bullocks. Like makakalaro din kaya ang mga mahihirap sa casino? Don't they know the word discipline? Of course not all gamblers will just throw more and more greens. Ako nga kung magtaya sa lotto hindi naman masyadong frequent (hell minsan tinatamad ako), hindi palaging malaki ang tinataya at tataya lang ako kung malaki na ang jackpot. And they should remember that the likes of PAGCOR and PCSO uses their profit for charity and not for themselves only.

PAGCOR
Genuino eyed as head of gambling megacity?
POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) Updated July 06, 2010 12:00 AM

CASH COW: How can anyone hide the fact that the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. under former chairman Efraim Genuino was one of the fattest cash cows in the Arroyo barn?

Pagcor apologists better stop blubbering about how Genuino and his boys allegedly watched solicitously over the billions being raked in by the giant gambling machine. Even amateur sleuths will find it easy destroying that claim.

If I were President Noynoy Aquino, after accepting Genuino’s resignation, I would order an independent team to deep-audit his handling of Pagcor funds and resources. A lifestyle check could follow.

To cauterize the cancer in Pagcor, a reformist President should reject self-serving suggestions that Genuino be retained to manage the global gambling city proposed to be built in the reclaimed area by the bay.

* * *

PROBE PAGCOR: “Kung walang corrupt walang mahirap,” went the campaign slogan of Noynoy. He said the obvious — that bureaucratic corruption is at the root of poverty in the country.



Too often, public funds that should go to essential services and alleviate poverty sink instead into the pockets of corrupt officials.

In Pagcor, for instance, millions were reportedly used in the election campaign of individual candidates and party-lists. The misappropriation was so blatant that one would think official conscience has been raped on the gambling table.

If the Commission on Elections wants to launder its image and display a burst of cleansing, it can start a no-nonsense inquiry into the campaign spending in Makati and Los Banos where Pagcor funds and resources were reportedly used.

* * *

SKIMMING: Defenders of Genuino love to point out that the firm’s earnings are allocated to specific beneficiaries identified by law, and that therefore there could not be any diversion.

But friends from Las Vegas and others who have worked in casinos for decades say that one basic racket is in “skimming,” and not really in the distribution of the visible revenues in a manner dictated by law.

Skimming works this way: If casino earnings were like milk being poured into a glass, whatever is contained in it is the visible revenue that will be reported in the books subject to lawful distribution.

What remains unreported is the excess milk that rises above the glass rim and sometimes overflows. That rich lather on top is skimmed, remains unreported, and then is sucked by the usual leeches.

* * *

COLLUSION: This is not to say that Pagcor or Genuino was engaged in skimming. The practice is mentioned only to illustrate that skimming is possible, as it is widely practised in the casino-gambling world.

If President Aquino is sincere in his cleanup, he can start reforms in Pagcor by looking into this possible malpractice.

Theoretically, this and other anomalies — even in biddings and the procurement of goods and services — can be exposed or prevented if the in-house auditor does his job with fidelity.

Collusion stories have it that if an agency wants to buy a fleet of cars, for instance, one way to expedite the purchase is to promise a vehicle to the auditor or his beneficiary. If a junket is in the works, the auditor or his alter-ego must be on board. Et cetera.

* * *

COFFEE CORNER: You think coffee is minor business? A concessionaire serving the brew in Pagcor casinos was noticed to be making easy millions on a little coffee-cream-sugar mix and a lot of water.

What happened, according to insiders, was that the concessionaire’s contract was not renewed. Before he knew what hit him, his thriving business was taken over by a new outfit whose true ownership and profit-sharing scheme remain suspect.

You think playing cards is child’s play? Insiders tell us that the incoming chairman will find himself buried in tons of playing cards already ordered to last Pagcor the next six years. Now, you may want to count also the slot machines....

Or count the playing chips that are issued everyday. Chips are money. Their flow is just as difficult to monitor since nobody knows for sure if the player holding them actually lost, multiplied or encashed them.

* * *

BIG BOSS: Business must be so good that Genuino was reportedly able to share profitable gambling tables with friends.

Until now, insiders are unable to understand why Genuino allowed favored parties to operate gaming tables right inside casino premises — directly competing with Pagcor.

Big question is how much earnest money is being paid, and to whom, by these non-Pagcor operators.

In an attempt to justify money-making tricks in Pagcor, some of its defenders whisper that money is being raised for the Big Boss issuing instructions from beside the Pasig river.

That is not an extenuating element, assuming it is true. It might even be aggravating circumstance.

* * *

BIDA BID: What ever happened to the case of the BIDA party-list? Pagcor money was reportedly used in the organizing and the campaign of BIDA, represented as an anti-drug abuse organization.

Even if only one peso were spent for BIDA, the party-list and its nominees — whose link to Genuino or Pagcor is well known — should be disqualified by the Comelec. Using public money for private gain should not be rewarded.

It is also a case of false advertising. When Genuino was planning to run for president (!) he organized a BIDA march on Roxas Blvd. last year targeting a million warm bodies, including then President Arroyo (who backed out when she sensed something amiss).

No one million marchers were counted by the Guinness Book of Records. Yet the Genuino ads claimed to have gathered some 800,000 participants. Even that adjusted figure is wrong. Guinness said there were only some 350,000.

source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=590673&publicationSubCategoryId=64

SC junks Pagcor’s petition to nullify casino contract

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/20979-sc-junks-pagcors-petition-to-nullify-casino-contract

Wednesday, 07 July 2010 00:00
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BY WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL REPORTER

The Supreme Court (SC) has denied for lack of merit a petition for review filed by state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) seeking to nullify a contract it had entered into with Fontana Development Corp. (FDC). The contract granted Fontana the authority to operate a casino inside the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Pampanga province, north of Manila.

The High Court, in a 19-page decision written by Senior Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., upheld the validity of the December 23, 1999 memorandum of agreement (MOA) between Pagcor and FDC, saying that there was no legal basis to nullify or recall the same.

“There is no infirmity in the MOA, as it was validly entered into by Pagcor under its charter, PD [Presidential Decree] 1869, and remains valid until legally terminated in accordance with the MOA,” the court ruled.

It said, “As parties to the MOA, FDC and Pagcor bound themselves to all its provisions. After all, the terms of a contract have the force of law between the parties, and courts have no choice but to enforce such contract so long as they are not contrary to law, morals, good customs or public policy. A stipulation for the term or period for the effectively of the MOA to [end when] the term of the franchise of Pagcor [does] including any extension is not contrary to law, morals, good customs or public policy.”

The High Court ruling affirmed the May 19, 2009 decision of the Court of Appeals that upheld the November 18, 2008 and December 4, 2008 orders of Branch 7 of the Regional Trial (RTC) Court of Manila.

The Manila RTC orders denied Pagcor’s motion to dismiss and granted the petition of FDC for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO).

The Supreme Court ruling also made permanent a writ of injunction issued on February 25, 2009 by the Manila RTC.

In 1993, then President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order 80 which, among others, gives the CSEZ the same incentives granted to Subic Bay Special Economic Zone.

In 1999, Pagcor granted FDC the authority to operate and maintain a casino inside the CSEZ under the agreement.

In 2007, Republic Act (RA) 9487 was enacted extending Pagcor’s franchise up to July 10, 2033 renewable for another 25 years.

The following year, Pagcor informed FDC that it was extending the memorandum on a month-to-month basis until the finalization of the renewal of the contract.

FDC protested and subsequently filed before the Manila RTC the complaint for injunction.

The Supreme Court ruled that PD 1869 empowers Pagcor to regulate and control all games of chance within the Philippines and, clearly, RA 7227 (SBMA’s charter), or EO 80 cannot be the source of its powers, but its basic charter, PD 1869.

It pointed out that Pagcor’s issuance of the 10-year SAO in lieu of the MOA with FDC was a breach of the MOA.

The High Tribunal ruled that the memorandum was a valid contract with all the essential elements required under the Civil Code.

Pagcor and FDC, it said, are thus bound by the stipulations of the MOA, subject to Pagcor’s regulatory powers.

Contrary to the Pagcor’s claims, the High Tribunal held that the Manila RTC has jurisdiction over FDC’s complaint under Section 19, Chapter II of Batas Pambansa 129, which grants the RTCs original exclusive jurisdiction over “all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation.”

Moreover, the RTCs shall exercise original jurisdiction “in the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions” under Section 21 of Batas Pambansa 129.

In its exercise of its broad discretionary power, the Supreme Court also resolved FDC’s complaints on the merits, instead of remanding the complaints to the trial court for further proceedings.

It noted that the dispute was purely a question of law, whether the license or MOA was issued pursuant to PD 1869 or Section 5 of EO 80.

Pagcor licensee to expand abroad

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/21285-pagcor-licensee-to-expand-abroad

Monday, 12 July 2010 00:00
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By DARWIN G. AMOJELAR SENIOR REPORTER

PHILWEB Corp. said it plans to expand its operation in at least eight countries after it registered a sharp increase in net income for the first six months of the year. “We have been focusing on our international expansion strategy. We are working to obtain licenses in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Saipan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Nepal and others,” Dennis Valdes, Philweb president said in a statement.

The company recorded a net income of P322 million in the January to June period, 41 percent higher than the P228 million for the same period last year.

Revenues reached P508 million, up 40 percent year on year from P362 million in the first six months of last year.

Valdes attributed the company’s financial results to strong growth in its core business units, as well as several new projects that it launched recently.

“Our core business is managing the network of Pagcor’s e-Games or PEGS cafés,” said Valdes, referring to state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

At present, the company has 188 stores nationwide, a double-digit increase from year.

Valdes said the PEGS business is instrumental to the growth of Pagcor itself.

”Last year, we contributed over one billion pesos to Pagcor from our PEGS business alone. This amount flows directly to Pagcor’s net income, as they do not have any capital expenditures or operating costs associated with this revenue,” the Philweb executive said.

As of June, the PEGS business alone has remitted over P600 million to Pagcor for a growth rate of 33 percent, Valdes said.

“We are confident that 2010 will be another banner year for PhilWeb and are happy that the results of the first half show that our business plans are progressing very solidly,” he said.

Philweb shares were flat at P15 on Friday.

Gaming is competitive tourism
By AMADO MACASAET
Based on purely economic grounds, there may be no way the Philippines can compete in the gaming-tourism business. How can a poor country compete with Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and Macao, the gambling capital in this part of the world?

Nevertheless, the Philippines is trying and hopes to attract a bigger share of the 15 million Chinese who go on tours yearly, many of whom are gamblers.

A newcomer in the gaming business, who will start operations after his building is completed in two years, said the Philippines has an advantage not available in the richer countries where gaming is also combined with tourism.

Are there beaches in Singapore, in Japan or in any of the other gaming countries? There are a few, he said.

"But which country has so many beach resorts?" Only the Philippines, he answered his own question.

He said Boracay alone is a major attraction.

The gaming operation of Andrew Tan of Megaworld fame is already in operation near Terminal III of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. has licensed three more: SM of Henry Sy, Bloomberry of Enrique Razon of ICTSI and Aruze of Japan. They pay 25 per cent of their gross revenues to Pagcor.

There is a wide perception that Pagcor, a virtual monopoly, will eventually lose its clientele to its franchisee, but it will continue to make huge incomes without the current cost.

According to a spokesman of Bloomberry, roughly 50 percent of the revenues of a gaming firm come from slot machines. He pointed out that the world-wide average pay-out of slot machines is 94 to 96 centavos for every peso gambled.

The operator or owner is left with what seems to be a reasonably small gross margin of 6 percent or six centavos for every peso risked at the slot machines. "There is still good money left as profits," he said.

The strategy as far as slot machines are concerned is to attract as many players as possible. In some cases, especially on a holiday, nearly all the machines in some Pagcor operations are occupied, he said.

He guessed that an estimated additional 15,000 relatively poor Filipinos will be attracted to the machines of the new casinos.

The high-rollers will be playing in the new gaming hotels. That could well mean Pagcor might lose a big portion of its foreign clientele but would make profits from its four licensees.

Bloomberry will build a hotel of 1,200 rooms in two phases. The first phase is for 500 rooms. The next is for 700 rooms. The spokesman said the rates will be competitive with the prices in the hotels of its competitors in neighboring countries. The resort gaming operations of Andrew Tan have three hotels with about the same number of rooms.

The preference for gaming, according to a respected businessman, is "a self-adjusting mechanism" in an economy where manufacturing does not seem to grow at all.

The little manufacturing left is mostly light. This is indicated by the figures of the Bangko Sentral which show that the importation of capital assets in the past years grew by an average of slightly more than 10 per cent while imports of consumer goods grew by more than 21 per cent.

The problem, the businessman said, is a possible slowdown in the creation of jobs since the biggest provider of work is the manufacturing sector.

This is one of the reasons why about one-third of Filipino employed labor is abroad in various jobs, from law or medicine to construction and household service. In extreme cases, some Filipino women are forced into prostitution in Japan.

Gaming cum tourism or vice versa can create better-paying jobs in the hundreds of thousands, including those in the ancillary service, said the spokesman of Bloomberry.

Macao survives mainly on gaming. So does Las Vegas in the state of Nevada. They do not have the tourist attractions remotely similar to those in the Philippines. Neither does Singapore. Neither does South Korea.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/07162010/busi1.html


:horse:

PAGCOR to review mobile casinos
by Jing Castañeda, ABS-CBN News
Posted at 07/22/2010 1:16 AM | Updated as of 07/22/2010 1:16 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The new management of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is alarmed after learning of the proliferation of various mobile casinos in different parts of the country.

This includes the mobile casino in Olongapo City, which is housed in 10- and 20-foot container vans.

Here, Filipinos and foreigners alike can play PAGCOR E-Games like video poker, video blackjack, baccarat, and other internet card games. People can also play online slot machines.

PAGCOR said there are a total of 167 PAGCOR E-Games or internet gaming centers around the country. They will now investigate how many of these are mobile casinos.

Since the mobile casinos are housed in container vans, PAGCOR is worried that the casinos can easily be transported to different areas.

This is despite the fact that the locations of casinos are strictly regulated.

They are also worried that children could gain access to the casino.

"[Ang aim ay] maging world class, at hindi iyong parang lokasyon lamang kung saan kahit sino puwede nang maglaro [o] magsugal," Atty. Jay Santiago, PAGCOR spokesperson, said.

An e-games operator should also show proof that the community where the gaming center will be located agrees to the presence of a gambling center in their area.

"'Yong casino o 'yong mga gaming establishments, should really be just part of an attraction of a tourism facility or a tourism area. Hindi ito iyong main attraction, kung hindi isa lang sa mga attraction," he said.

This is what angers church leaders in Nueva Ecija.

They said a casino was put up in the municipality of San Leonardo without their approval.

They are now appealing to the new government to put a stop to the casino's opening.

"Farming and poultry raising mainly ang San Leonardo... iyong intended na clientele noong casino ay mainly wala - walang turista na pupunta," Cabanatuan diocese chancellor Fr. Noel Jetajobe said.

Both Malacañang and PAGCOR said they are currently studying the state of the gaming industry in the country to see how it can exist without sacrificing the people's welfare.

To this end, PAGCOR added, they are now re-evaluating the gaming licenses issued by the previous administration to make sure the interest of the people are protected.

Reforms in PAGCOR
By Caroline J. Howard, ANC
Posted at 07/23/2010 11:43 AM | Updated as of 07/23/2010 11:45 AM

PAGCOR transactions under review, privatization eyed

MANILA, Philippines - Investigations are underway into supposed anomalous transactions entered into by the previous leadership of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

In keeping with President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino's call for a crackdown on corruption, PAGCOR spokesman Atty. Jay Santiago, in an interview on ANC's "The Rundown" on Thursday night, says the investigation would include the controversial P21 million food order for policemen during rallies and demonstrations.

"We've gone through documents supporting the P21-million disbursement. We're trying to get in touch with the people involved to know how the transaction came about. The money, which was supposed to be reimbursed by this P21M, is supposed to cover a certain amount advanced by former [PAGCOR] chairman Efraim Genuino, so we're still trying to check the veracity of that allegation," he says. "Hopefully, in the next few weeks, we'll be able to render a report to the President."

Santiago says they are looking into reports that part of what he called a "highly irregular" food purchase meant for police activities and operations went to purposes other than what it was originally intended.

Former PAGCOR Chairman Efraim Genuino denies there was any anomaly in the transaction, adding disbursements made by PAGCOR during his term were all legal.

"There's a legally mandated allocation as far as the social fund is concerned. A certain amount should remain with PAGCOR for its operating expenses. The question is if operating expenses of PAGCOR have been used and properly accounted for, that's what we're looking at," Santiago says.

Santiago says PAGCOR's revenues are allocated by law. An estimated 5% goes to the internal revenue for franchise taxes, 50% to the National Treasury. There are legally mandated allocations for the Philippine Sports Commission, the Board of Claims [under the Department of Justice], Book Development Fund, and only a small percentage is left to the discretion of PAGCOR. Between 1.5 to 2% of revenues supposedly go to the President's Social Fund.

Over 200 consultants terminated

Santiago says they have terminated 205 consultants, including former police or military personnel, after uncovering a list of individuals who've been receiving an allowance from the agency on retainer basis.

Earlier this week, the agency said it had uncovered a P5-million monthly allowance for over 200 consultants of the agency, and a P29-million donation to the party-list group that fielded Genuino's daughter as its nominee in the May elections.

Genuino says there was nothing irregular in the hiring of consultants to help with PAGCOR's operations.

Santiago, however, says PAGCOR's donations to non-government organizations should not involve conflict of interest.

Pending PAGCOR projects under review

Santiago says they are currently reviewing plans of the previous administration to forge joint ventures for the construction of the PAGCOR Tower and Recreation Center. He says commitments that have been entered into would be respected.

"We have four proponents which have made commitments to start off construction on the Entertainment City, which is connected to the Bagong Nayong Pilipino," he says. "We are in the process of reviewing the contracts they've entered into, the business models that have been proposed, and we're looking at the lay-out of the project. Chairman [Cristino] Naguiat wants it to be more of a tourist attraction rather than a gambling destination."

Freeze on licenses eyed

Under the leadership of Cristino Naguiat, who replaced Genuino as PAGCOR Chair, Santiago says PAGCOR is also mulling a suspension on the granting of licenses, following the proliferation of so-called "mobile casinos".

"The president has intimated he's asked Chairman Cristino Naguiat to look into licenses that have been granted and to make sure that licenses or operations or new casinos don't proliferate the way it did in past administrations," he says. "Chairman Naguiat and the board have agreed that there should be a freeze now or suspension on the granting of licenses to make sure we're able to inventory all of the licenses that have been granted so far, and to make sure all of these licensees are not in violation of the license granted by PAGCOR."

Privatizing PAGCOR

Amid criticism over PAGCOR's alleged corrupt practices, the Aquino administration is planning to privatize the company's operations.

Santiago says PAGCOR's new board is studying different modes for privatizing the organization.

"The downside is, if we privatize the corporation, that might put an end to the financing of its social projects. What can be done later on is to include in the privatization plan that anybody who will acquire the operations of the corporation will have to make a commitment to continue social work projects through their corporate social responsibility. The upside is, if the financial model is well prepared, the government will be able to raise enough funds to sustain its project within the next 3 to 4 years."

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima has admitted that the prospect of privatizing PAGCOR, one of the government's major revenue contributors (involving an estimated P1.6 billion to the country's coffers in the first two months of the year), could be costly for the government.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/07/23/10/reforms-pagcor

Bloombury breaks ground on $577-million resort complex in Entertainment City
July 28, 2010, 5:13pm

Bloombury Investments Holdings, Inc. recently broke ground to start the development of an 8.3-hectare, world-class integrated resort complex at the Bagong Nayong Pilipino–Entertainment City Manila, an investment amounting to US$577 million.

The groundbreaking signaled the start of the first phase of development, making Bloombury the first among the four developers to start construction in the Entertainment City.

Named the Solaire Manila Project, Bloombury’s integrated resort complex includes a five-star, 500-room hotel covering some 165,000 square meters of floor area. The Entertainment City has been designated as a special economic zone area under Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

“We are excited about this investment in the Entertainment City Manila. Aside from catapulting the Philippines into a key player in the tourism, hospitality and entertainment industries, the project will make Filipinos proud for having a world class leisure hub that will showcase the best that the country can offer. Entertainment City Manila will rival the leisure hubs in the region such as those in Macau, Malaysia, and of late, Singapore,” says Enrique K. Razon Jr., Bloombury chairman.

Bloombury’s complex is set to be operational in the third quarter of 2012, while total investment for the long term is expected to reach US$ 1 billion. Aside from attracting local and foreign visitors, the complex is expected to generate some 2,500 jobs and to boost the country’s ancillary service sectors.

Aside from the hotel, the complex will feature state of the art meeting and convention facilities as well as relaxation and leisure facilities such as a live performance theater, an array of restaurants, health and wellness facilities, just to name a few.

Razon, together with Florencio M. Bernabe, Parañaque City mayor, led the groundbreaking rites. They were assisted by Bloombury directors and officers led by Jose Eduardo J. Alarilla, president and director; Estela Tuason-Occena, treasurer and director, Edgardo Q. Abesamis, director; Christian R. Gonzalez, director; and Donato C. Almeda, chief operating officer. Also present was Paul Steelman, design architect and Steelman Partners chief executive officer.

The Bagong Nayong Pilipino–Entertainment City Manila is a multi-billion dollar project of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), a government-owned corporation engaged in the entertainment and gaming business. The PAGCOR project covers 120 hectares of prime reclaimed land at the western portion of the Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/269384/bloombury-breaks-ground-577million-resort-complex-entertainment-city


Firm tapped to build Belle hotel, casino

LISTED REAL estate developer Belle Corp. has tapped Megawide Construction Corp. to build a P1.3-billion hotel casino in Parañaque City that will become the largest of its kind in the country, the contractor said in a statement yesterday.

Megawide Construction said it had begun laying the foundation for the project. It expects to complete the casino floor and one of two 15-storey hotel towers in 12 months.The construction is going on faster than the normal pace because of the methodologies [the company] is using, including the use of precast walls for the exterior and precast beams and girders which are also post-tensioned,” Megawide Construction said.The casino will be patterned after those operating in Las Vegas and will also incorporate Macau’s Venetian-type finishing, while the hotel will have a Planet Hollywood theme,” the construction firm said.
Megawide Construction earlier said it was planning to raise as much as P3 billion through an initial public offering in November to fund expansion plans that will allow it to cater to projects from the Ayala property and banking group.

Its client list also includes SM Development Corp., the property arm of the Henry Sy-led SM mall and banking group.

Belle Corp., which is controlled by the SM group, claims a niche in high-end residential and leisure properties in Tagaytay, Cavite and Batangas province.

Shares in the firm led by businessman Willy N. Ocier were unchanged at P1.86 apiece yesterday. -- Jessica Anne D. Hermosa

http://www.bworld.com.ph/main/content.php?id=14873

http://images.inquirer.net/img/thumbnails/new/hea/pag/img/2010/08/20100809.jpg

Story here (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100809-285698/10B-offered-for-Pagcor)

^^ nice reprint...from IPAD?

Belle Rises to 11-Year High on Report Philippines to Limit Casino Permits
By Ian Sayson - Aug 9, 2010 1:01 PM GMT+0800
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-09/belle-paces-philippine-casino-shares-higher-on-report-new-licensing-halted.html

Belle Corp. led gains among Philippine casino operators after the Philippine Daily Inquirer said the government has suspended issuing new casino licenses, prompting speculation existing permit holders will benefit.

Belle, which has a license to build a casino complex in the capital Manila, jumped 8.5 percent to 2.17 pesos at the noon close of trading, the highest since November 1999. Alliance Global Group Inc., operator of the largest Philippine casino and partner of Genting Hong Kong Ltd., rose 1.9 percent to 6.35 pesos, the highest since June 2007.

“A suspension on new licenses would mean less competition and that will be quite favorable for the existing players,” said James Lago, head of research at Manila-based PCCI Securities Brokers Corp. “This government policy is probably temporary and will be a short-term boost for casino stocks.”

The Philippine Amusement & Gaming Corp. has suspended the grant of new casino franchises in response to President Benigno Aquino’s direction to “stem the mushrooming gambling facilities” in the country, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported today, citing Jay Santiago, a spokesman at the state- owned casino regulator and operator. Aquino’s spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters today he couldn’t confirm the suspension.

Leisure & Resorts World Corp., an Internet gaming company and Belle’s local partner in the Manila casino complex, climbed 7.5 percent to 2.01 pesos, the highest since April 12.

Belle and Leisure are in talks with three groups including Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. to manage the casino complex it’s been authorized by the government to build in the capital, a stock exchange filing last week showed. An agreement may be reached in September, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ian C. Sayson in Manila at isayson@bloomberg.net

update on PAGCOR
Hong Kong group also interested in Pagcor, says spokesman
By Marlon Ramos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:27:00 08/11/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Casinos & Gambling
MANILA, Philippines—The reported $10-billion proposal to privatize the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has caught the attention of two more groups of investors, one of them from Hong Kong, an official of the state-run gaming company said Wednesday.

Jay Santiago, Pagcor spokesman, said a Hong Kong-based conglomerate engaged in the real estate, hotel and casino businesses has expressed interest in acquiring Pagcor sin the event President Aquino decides to let go of the government’s role in managing high-end gambling facilities such as casinos.

Santiago said Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok’s denial of his supposed interest in bidding for Pagcor would affect the speculation on the real market value of the government-owned gaming corporation.

“Its impact is on the offer of Ramon Ang. I don’t know if (Ang’s) offer will stand due to the denial,” Santiago said.

Ang, president of San Miguel Corp. and vice chairman of its board of directors, had earlier told the Inquirer that Malaysia’s “big boys,” among them Kuok, were keen on raising $10 billion to acquire Pagcor and run gaming establishments in the country.

Kuok, through his spokesman in Manila, denied however that he was interested in Pagcor, saying the owner of the posh Shangri-la hotels had no plan of entering the gaming business.

Santiago said that a representative of the Hong Konmg group said in an “informal” conversation that the Hong Kong investors considered the $10-billion offer "interesting.”

“If the price is right, then there might be some interest. The question is, what is the right price,” Santiago quoted the group’s emissary as saying.

He declined to name the group, but said the investors were into real estate and hotel operations across the Asia Pacific region and that they were already engaged in casino operations in the country.

According to Santiago, he was told that talk about Pagcor’s privatization has also attracted the group of businessman Willy Ocier, vice chair of property and gaming company Belle Corp.

“We expect that these discussions about the privatization would draw the attention of other investors,” he said.

However, Santiago insisted that the $10-billion price tag that Ang floated for Pagcor was too small, considering the 23 years left in its franchise to run the monopoly gambling business in the country.

“The $10 billion proposal is a good start, but I think it’s too low. If the time is right, we could make use of different valuation methods,” he said.

With Pagcor’s annual gross revenue of about P30 billion, he argued that it could easily earn P690 billion when its franchise ends in 2033, a difference of some P240 billion from Ang’s proposal, taking the current dollar-peso exchange rate of P45 into account.

“(Ang) said he could raise Pagcor’s annual revenues to at least P35 billon. If he could do it, then why can’t we do it?” the Pagcor spokesman said.

Since Pagcor was directly under the office of the President, Santiago said they would just “take the cue” from Mr. Aquino.

Said Santiago: “If the President is serious in privatizing Pagcor, then we will start the process. If he thinks he needs immediate funding and wants to sell Pagcor, then we will take the cue from him.”

“If he thinks it’s not urgent and that there’s projects that he wants us to continue, then we will just work to increase the remittances and revenues of Pagcor,” he added.

To ensure transparency in the sale of Pagcor, Santiago said they would hire professional valuation managers to ascertain the real market value of the corporation.

All government expenses regarding Pagcor’s privatization must be minimal and reasonable, Pagcor chair Cristino Naguiat said.

“But as we said, the Pagcor’s privatization is not on our priority list right now,” Naguiat said.

Privatized Pagcor to bring in more revenues for gov't
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 08/16/2010 10:53 AM | Updated as of 08/16/2010 10:53 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Besides the one-time gain from the possible sale of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), the government will also benefit from the license fees that it will be getting from casino-operators.

In an interview with ANC, Pagcor President and Chief Operating Officer Jorge Sarmiento said the office will get to keep its regulatory functions as perceived in the privatization set-up.

As such, the government will still be able to earn even if the casino or gaming operations will go to private hands.

At present, part of Pagcor’s income goes straight to the national budget, host cities and various taxes. It also earmarks a portion to several agencies such as the Philippine Sports Commission and other social funds.

In 2008, the 41-casino chain reported a net income of P29.62 billion.

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III already said he is seriously considering the proposal to privatize Pagcor after receiving a $10 billion offer from the group of San Miguel Corp. vice-chairman Ramon Ang.

This also comes on the heels of Aquino’s state of the nation address, where he mentioned better “public-private partnerships.”

Sarmiento explained “besides the windfall money, we will also charge license fees [which may amount] to 25% to 30% of the gross earnings of casinos.”

‘Beautify Pagcor’

He said “Pagcor is such a jewel to be privatized.”

Sarmiento noted the company could still fetch a higher price if it is made more efficient. Pagcor earlier mentioned plans of expansion in order to be more attractive to investors.

“Before we sell, Pagcor should be attractive to private buyers. With that, we have to beautify, be efficient, address leakages and resolve the welfare of employees…,” he said.

He said Pagcor is also in the process of reviewing 200 or so contracts with the goal of ending graft and corruption.

A manpower audit is also underway, he said.

Sarmiento said the results of the review, handled by the legal department, would be released soon.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/16/10/privatized-pagcor-bring-more-revenues-govt

IPVG wants to list another unit, readies IPO of gaming outfit

IP Converge Data Center Inc., the information technology and telecommunications arm of listed IPVG Corp., will file an application to join the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) in the next two weeks, according to an executive.

The firm however has yet to decide whether it would go public to raise funds or just list by way of introduction.

Jaime Enrique Y. Gonzalez, IPVG Corp. chief executive officer, told reporters on Saturday listing a subsidiary was “a matter of timing.”

“A subsidiary has to reach a certain size before the parent firm can do the listing. We will file our listing application before the PSE in the next two weeks,” Mr. Gonzalez said.

In a previous disclosure, the company said it would list the subsidiary in line with IPVG Corp.’s strategy to expand its businesses without putting too much strain on the parent firm’s finances.

In July, the parent company approved a plan to list IP Converge, subject to terms and conditions the subsidiary may deem favorable.

IP Converge is a provider of data storage services to local companies in sectors such as telecommunications and finance.

“I think it will take few years before we can list other subsidiaries,” Mr. Gonzalez said.

He did not say whether the company would conduct an initial public offering (IPO) or list by way of introduction.

The latter method was chosen by sister company IP e-Games Ventures, Inc., which got approval from the stock exchange in February.

Mr. Gonzalez said his office would be finalizing the schedule for IP e-Games’ IPO in the first quarter of next year. It plans to raise about P500 million to finance expansion.

“We are working closely with our underwriter ATR KimEng. We are currently doing our rights issuance which should be completed first.

We will [conduct an] IPO to raise funds for new title acquisitions and build new infrastructure to allow us to invest more in the gaming industry,” Mr. Gonzalez said.

IP e-Games launched on Saturday its latest “casual massively multiplayer online roleplaying game” or MMORPG dubbed Dragonica, in partnership with Singapore-based Infocomm Asia Holdings Pte. Ltd.

“Dragonica is a free-play manga-style action roleplaying game with an eight-way, full three-dimensional side-scrolling system. The game aims to bring together new and hardcore gamers alike with its fun and intuitive gameplay,” Mr. Gonzalez said.

The company said the game is already being played in South Korea, China, Taiwan, Russia, the United States, Europe, and other parts of Southeast Asia.

“The game started its closed beta testing last July and acceptance from the local gaming community has been phenomenal,” Mr. Gonzalez claimed.

Casual games offered by IP e-Games are published under X-Play Online Games, Inc., a joint venture company between IP e-Games and GMA New Media Inc., a unit of broadcast giant GMA Network, Inc. -- Aura Marie P. Dagcutan

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=17599

Santiago: Local exec close to Aquino is key to ‘jueteng’ operations

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:47:00 09/12/2010

Filed Under: Politics, Benigno Aquino III

MANILA, Philippines – A local official close to President Aquino, who ran on a platform of change in the May elections, is the key to the continued operations of “jueteng” in the country, according to a senator.

“I have a particular person in mind whom we all thought was very bright but who ran for a local post because he controls a jueteng operation there,” Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago in an interview on dzBB radio said.

Santiago said she would disclose the identity of this Aquino ally after gathering enough evidence to back up her claim.

“I already talked with somebody who saw [the evidence] directly but this somebody does not want to testify yet,” the senator said.

Santiago said operators of jueteng—an illegal numbers racket—have made a profile of the individuals who belong to the President’s inner circle or of persons he trusts, and have started touching base with them to gain their confidence.

“They (jueteng lords) believe that if the President trusted and loved the company of this people enough, they could provide good protection from prosecution or harassment,” the senator said.

Santiago said members of Mr. Aquino’s inner circle had become easy targets for jueteng lords because they, “after kissing his toes,” were themselves declaring that the President was “OK” or ready to play ball.

The key to controlling jueteng in the country would be to put a leash on the Department of the Interior and Local Governments (DILG) and the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), she said.

“Even if you get red in the face lecturing about anti-jueteng, if you do not control the interior secretary and the PNP chief, nothing will change from other administrations,” Santiago said.

The senator commended Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo’s appointment, saying the President should give him a second chance because somebody was holding him back from doing his full job.

Santiago said she did not agree with the decision of Mr. Aquino to remove control of the police from Robredo because this was against the administrative code.

“But if I were in his (Robredo) place, I would have come earlier at the risk of getting the ire of the President,” she said.

Santiago said she commiserated with the President for tapping persons that he trusted in sensitive government positions.

“The presidency is a very lonely job. You do not know who are your allies, enemies, or those who will betray you or just use you. President Aquino is a bachelor. He has no wife and child to share his feelings to,” Santiago said.

But she said that if the President needed to appoint somebody he trusted, he should just appoint them as an assistant or adviser and not as an undersecretary like Rico E. Puno in the DILG.

“He has no experience. He only sells guns to the PNP and now the PNP is under him. Isn’t that conflict of interest?” she said.

Subic Yacht Club as mini-Monaco

THE moribund Subic Yacht Club will shortly be turned into a mini-Monaco with gaming to be added to boost membership and hotel revenues.

According to the grapevine, a Japanese gaming company, Orient Pearl Entertainment and Management Inc. has reached an agreement with lead creditor Land Bank of the Philippines to initially acquire 25 percent of the club as a way to gain management control.

LandBank heads a consortium of local banks that foreclosed 40 percent of the club when its debt-financed construction floundered during the regional currency crisis.

Chaired by Toshio Shimada, Orient Pearl already operates six casino-hotels in the country, including the Majestic Networld Hotel at the corner of Roxas Blvd. and Buendia Ave.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusop.htm?f=2010/september/13/vicagustin.isx&d=2010/september/13

Small-town lotto eyed to replace jueteng

by Joyce Pangco Pañares

PRESIDENT Benigno C. Aquino III is skeptical over the claims of a Catholic prelate that two ranking members of his administration have been getting P2 million a month in payola from jueteng lords.

“We cant help but think about his allegation, because that figure of P2 million per month compared to the billions that are going into jueteng seems to be such a pitiful amount. I don’t know the quality of information that Archbishop (Oscar) Cruz has. He has not deigned to give me his information and what I know about it, I have read from newspapers,” the President said.

“At P48 million a year for the two alleged officials on the take versus the P9 billion profit, that is too cheap. I am not sure someone will be tempted for such a cheap amount,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda also appealed to Cruz to divulge the names of the administration officials allegedly on the take.

“We are all allies in the fight against corruption. Hopefully we can find an avenue to discuss this with the archbishop,” Lacierda said.

The President has ordered Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo to craft a comprehensive anti-jueteng plan.

He said the plan will call for arrests of jueteng lords.

President Aquino also ordered Robredo to amend and strengthen the Small Town Lottery game, a legitimate numbers game that was designed to compete with, and eventually kill off, jueteng.

But he kept the door open on jueteng’s legalization, saying it was up to members of Congress to decide.

“Proposals to legalize jueteng is the call of legislators,” the President said, even as he stressed that “gambling is not a productive venture except people who run it.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2010/september/14/nation2.isx&d=2010/september/14

Gambling is just another business

Written by Jose Ma. Fernandez / Free Enterprise
Tuesday, 14 September 2010 11:49

WHEN we were tasked with studying the possibility of setting up online-lottery operations in the country for the first time, the reason given was to use it as the main activity of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) even as the government gambling unit was slated to move away gradually from managing operations and reconstituting itself into something akin to the Nevada Gaming Authority.

The idea was to privatize gambling operations and collect fees from these but, at the same time, reorient them toward family-type establishments that would draw in investments in tourism establishments. This made sense, except that the one who thought it up decided to quit after barely a year as chairman, unused as he was to the tug and pull of government office, which is often at the mercy of vicious forces. And when big money is on the line, like it is in gambling, the cuts and thrusts become even more vicious.

So, the study for setting up online-lottery operations went on the backburner, ensconced in this writer’s brain, until it was inadvertently awakened by an unlikely person, an old grandmother whose smile, demeanor and character convinced me that the time had finally arrived to take a second look at the computerized betting system. Most people have come to know this game as the Lotto, although the system can handle any game like fixed-numbers games (4, 5, or 6 digits) or even the now infamous two-number game that characterizes the indigenous betting called jueteng. The southern islands use another form of betting called masiao, which, in the olden days, used to be based on the last two numbers of the weekly Sweepstakes draw of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The current frenzy over illegal-gaming operations stems from the practice of giving protection money to people who may adversely affect the peaceful operation being run by a typical provincial gambling lord. Thus, a gambling lord would typically give protection money to the governor and key people in office, the police provincial commander and some of their people, and maybe the congressman just to keep them quiet. Local police chiefs and town mayors would, of course, be included in the equation. People in office justify accepting these monies, arguing that they are expected to provide all manner of sustenance to their constituents, which cannot be drawn from the government’s coffers. Others simply say they are underpaid and deserve the extra funds.

Thus, the temptation to legalize illegal-gambling operations becomes some sort of unholy grail that institutions and governments feel they have to undertake. Consider the experimental Small Town Lottery (STL) operation of the PCSO. Even the officials of the PCSO admit that it is difficult to monitor whether actual sales are fully declared. Rumors abound that only 5 percent to 10 percent of daily revenues actually pass through the PCSO system, with the rest remaining within the confines of the traditional jueteng system. Savvy and well-connected people who have managed to get STL franchises are thus able to obtain a legitimate veneer that provides cover for their activities, the great bulk of which remains underground.

What may be done to somehow rectify this situation? One possible solution is to force the issuance of lottery tickets similar to those printed out in the online terminals of the regular PCSO games, and requiring that any payouts be based on these tickets. At present, the limited participation by the PCSO in terms of providing witnesses to the draw does not provide the needed protection and assurance that the government is getting its fair share.

Another alternative is for the PCSO to run a similar game, perhaps a two-numbered game with digits from 00-99, and allowing betting through the terminals just as in the regular games. A lot of people could be induced to bet on this game if the initial payout were attractive enough…and this would force the underground system to at least surface and base their outcomes on the actual draw by the PCSO. But this would not solve the problem of the government’s getting its fair share.

But just thinking practically, can gthe overnment really ever get its fair share? Truthfully, perhaps not. Perhaps, never. But there can be an effort to have the share of government increase to a level that could be considered “acceptable.” First of all, I suggest a strict audit of the average daily, weekly and monthly take in a given operation. This would mean deploying an army of people who would not succumb to temptations to fudge the figures. Given these figures, one could do an intelligent “guesstimate” and multiply by a factor of, say, 1.5 times to make up for cheating, and “assess” an existing operation for a share based on a possible 50-percent volume base. One can never really erase illegal gambling, and this has been proved in many lottery jurisdictions elsewhere. So, the figure of 50 percent is something I picked up in my studies, where various people in charge figure that if they can eliminate or participate in 50 percent of the revenues that goes into gaming, they could be considered successful.

Gambling is, after all, a business, and we have to understand that the network out there feeds many mouths that would go hungry or resort to worse crimes if deprived of the income they get by being part of the network. And the need to pay off people on top would go down because no protection would be required.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/banking-a-finance/1265-gambling-is-just-another-business

Comelec helpless vs jueteng money in election campaigns

GMANews.TV - Saturday, September 18


With the Oct. 25 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections just a month away, he Commission on Elections admitted Friday it is helpless against politicians using jueteng money to fund their campaigns during elections.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the present election law does not provide the poll body with power to determine where election campaign funds are coming from.

“If we don’t know where the funds are coming from then we don’t have the basis to say they are getting the money from [the illegal numbers game] jueteng. If we can’t prove it, we really can’t do anything about it," he said in an article on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news site.

He said it is up to Congress to craft laws that will effectively address the problem.

“These are one of the things that we said we are going to look at improving on after the elections. It may need some type of legislative initiatives. What is important is for us to find a more effective way of discovering the source of funding," he added.

Earlier, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz said jueteng is gaining strength again as the barangay and SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) elections draw near.

He said jueteng operations usually intensify during election season, with proceeds going to campaign kitties of candidates who protect jueteng operators.

“For this election, jueteng again will be more active. It is not improbable that they will draw four times a day so that they will get more funds," said Cruz. — LBG, GMANews.TV


http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20100918/tph-comelec-helpless-vs-jueteng-money-in-d6cd5cf.html

Ang to gov’t: Want to stamp out jueteng? Strengthen STL

By Christian V. Esguerra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:39:00 09/18/2010

Filed Under: Crime, Casinos & Gambling, Graft & Corruption

MANILA, Philippines—The government need not look far for a solution to the decades-old problem of “jueteng,” which has resurfaced early in the administration of President Benigno Aquino.

A former gambling consultant of then President Joseph Estrada said stamping out the underground lottery would depend on the fate of the Small Town Lottery (STL), a game that closely resembles jueteng.

Charlie “Atong” Ang said authorities should scrutinize the franchise holders of STL around the country, many of whom were allegedly the same people operating jueteng.

Ang, a former consultant of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., alleged that STL operations in many areas were remitting “less than 10 percent” of the total earnings to the government.

“The STL is really key to this whole mess,” he said in Filipino in a phone interview with the Inquirer last Friday. “Let the government end all forms of illegal gambling and strengthen legal ones such as STL and lotto.”

Ang said the STL in its current form was “designed to fail” by jueteng operators close to the previous administration “so jueteng could remain.”

Sandra Cam, a former jueteng “bag woman,” said the government should check the possible collusion between operators of the numbers racket with officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

More than a month ago, she said she had gone to the PCSO to call its attention about jueteng operators allegedly owning STL franchises through “dummies.”

“I don’t think anybody paid any attention,” she told the Inquirer on Saturday. “But the PCSO knows STL is not working and is, in fact, allowing jueteng to flourish.”

Ang’s distaste of jueteng was intended to promote “jai alai,” his new gambling of choice, according to retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz, head of the Krusadang Bayan Laban sa Jueteng.

Cruz said Ang paid him a surprise visit at the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines headquarters in Manila more than two weeks ago to “throw his support behind my antijueteng campaign.”

“He wanted me to continue the fight because jueteng is illegal,” the prelate said. “But his motive was clear. He wanted his jai alai business to flourish.”

Cruz agreed that STL was instrumental to rooting out jueteng. But he made it clear that he and his group were against all forms of gambling.

“Yes, jueteng either kills or promotes jueteng,” he said. “But what we want to prevent here is a culture of gambling.”

He added: “This is a test case for the new government. If indeed it is all for good governance, nothing should stop it from eradicating jueteng.”

Cruz said Ang should just reveal everything he knew about jueteng. He said he was willing to arrange Ang’s appearance in the upcoming Senate blue ribbon committee hearings on the illegal numbers game.

Verzosa, Puno tagged in jueteng

A RETIRED Roman Catholic prelate has tagged Jesus A. Verzosa, former Philippine National Police chief, and Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno as recipients of proceeds from an illegal numbers game, according to a list disclosed at the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on Tuesday.

The list submitted by former archbishop Oscar V. Cruz of Lingayen-Dagupan to the Blue Ribbon (accountability of public officers and investigations) committee identified Messrs. Verzosa and Puno as "ultimate recipients" of jueteng money.

Other individuals are Pampanga Governor Lilia “Baby” G. Pineda, Paul Dy of Isabela, retired Gen. Eugene Martin, Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Danny Soriano of Cagayan, a certain retired Gen. Padilla of Pasay, Parañaque, Muntinlupa and San Pedro, Pangasinan Governor Amado Espino and Boy Jalandoni of Bacolod.

Mr. Cruz identified as “collectors on the ground” Eddie Fontanilla and Rey Cachuela.

Listed as “good sources of information” were Atong Ang, former buddy of ex-president Josehp E. Estrada, for jueteng and jai-alai and former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office chairman Manuel "Manoling" L. Morato for small town lottery.

Mr. Puno denied the allegations and said jueteng operators are targeting him following his initiatives against them at the Department of Interior and Local Government. -- Jose Bimbo F. Santos
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18114

^^ Maybe a poll if to legalize jueteng or not in this forum?

good suggestion....:okay:

Upsurge in illegal gambling linked to barangay, SK polls

Written by Fernan Marasigan / Reporter
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 12:22

AS the issue of jueteng payola heated up, a legislator claimed on Wednesday about an alleged upsurge of illegal-numbers game operators as some barangay officials and candidates all over the country scramble to raise campaign funds reaching up to a million each to increase their chances of winning in the October 25 elections.

Party-list Rep. Carol Jayne Lopez of the You Against Corruption and Poverty said the group’s volunteers and other antigraft groups reported to her that jueteng and other illegal-numbers game operators have managed to expand their reach as barangay officials succumb to the temptation of raising campaign funds as the barangay polls nears.

“We got reports that with campaign funds reaching up to a million to ensure victory for a barangay captain running in an area of more than 40,000 people in Metro Manila and about P300,000 for each kagawad, there really is no option for some of the barangay candidates but to dip into the jueteng bucket,” Lopez said.

Lopez said although barangay candidates in the provinces need only as low as P20,000 to P50,000 in campaign funds, they are no less susceptible to the advances of illegal-numbers game operators.

“The pull of the P37-billion jueteng money circulating in the Philippine market is just too strong to resist for some of the barangay leaders running for various posts in about 40,000 barangays all over the country,” said Lopez.

Lopez was citing a figure coming from President Aquino, who said that of the P37-billion annual jueteng funds, P9 billion is considered as “profit.”

According to Lopez, the incoming barangay election has resulted in the entry of illegal-gambling operators in areas where there used to be no such kind of illegal activity.

Lopez added that for barangay leaders and candidates who are not in direct contact with illegal-gambling operators, it is the local government officials who collect and turn the money over to them.

“There is a flood of jueteng money flowing as the barangay election nears,” Lopez said.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/nation/1613-upsurge-in-illegal-gambling-linked-to-barangay-sk-polls

Looking for 1% of P30-B jueteng take


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:38:00 09/23/2010

Filed Under: Casinos & Gambling, Government, Gaming & Lotteries, Police, Graft & Corruption

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno said that like Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, he was on the lookout for the 1 percent of the P30 billion in annual “jueteng” revenues allegedly given to officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police.

“If she is looking for that 1 percent, I am also looking for that 1 percent. I’d like to know where that percentage came from and how it is distributed,” Puno said.

He said he wanted to know for the benefit of DILG’s efforts to investigate the illegal numbers racket.

But Puno said he did not hear Santiago’s privilege speech.

The spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, Senior Supt. Agrimero Cruz, said the PNP would wait for a copy of Santiago’s speech to conduct its own investigation.

“We will investigate these allegations, if she will be gracious enough to furnish us a copy. If the evidence warrants it, we will file the appropriate charges,” Cruz said.

Gaming company joins fund-raising bandwagon

Written by Miguel R. Camus / Reporter
Thursday, 23 September 2010 11:54

PACIFIC Online Systems Corp. (POSC), the listed lotto equipment provider for the Visayas and Mindanao, expects to raise up to P180 million from the sale of treasury shares. Proceeds of the share sale will be used to fund network expansion.

POSC told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Thursday that it approved a plan to sell a portion or the entire block of shares held in treasury at “prevailing market prices.” Part of these shares will be offered through the facilities of the bourse, it added.

As of the first half, POSC said it had 11.35 million treasury shares valued at P181.54 million at yesterday’s close of P16.

POSC chairman and president Willy Ocier said the company had already sold 4 million treasury shares at P16.

The company executive declined to comment on whether the shares were sold to private buyers, only saying “there is plenty of interest” in the company’s shares.

Treasury shares are non-voting, do not pay out dividends and are not considered when calculating a company’s outstanding shares. Typically, these are unissued shares to the public, or those acquired through a buyback program.

Ocier said proceeds from the sale will be used for the expansion of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s network of lotto and keno operations and to improve distribution of the instant “Scratch It” game.

POSC has allotted P300 million this year to add 500 terminals for lotto and keno games, as well as expansion for “Scratch It” instant games and 15 to 20 more outlets of Lucky Circle. Ocier said keno operations will end the year with about 400 terminals and Lotto with 2,000 outlets. Keno is a kind of bingo gambling game.

Pacific Online said net income rose by 14 percent to P133 million in the six months to June. Revenues during the same period increased 13 percent to P536.3 million.

The company is targeting its full-year profit to grow to P300 million, representing a 27-percent gain from the reported income last year.

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/1648-gaming-company-joins-fund-raising-bandwagon

Binay: Time to revisit jueteng legalization

Written by Mia M. Gonzalez / Reporter
Thursday, 23 September 2010 12:45

VICE President Jejomar Binay said on Thursday it may be “high time” for a review of the government’s position on the legalization of jueteng.

Binay made the statement in an interview with Palace reporters after oathtaking ceremonies at the Palace Rizal Hall, when asked for his view on the proposed legalization of jueteng.

He said that the idea of legalizing the popular illegal-numbers game seems to be gaining acceptability, since jueteng operators have continued to circumvent the law, leading to big revenue losses.

Binay added that proceeds from jueteng have also been used for graft and corruption purposes.

Asked about Binay’s position, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters at the Palace press area that “insofar as the Aquino administration is concerned, that has never been discussed so far.”

http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/1662-binay-time-to-revisit-jueteng-legalization

Looking for 1% of P30-B jueteng take


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:38:00 09/23/2010

Filed Under: Casinos & Gambling, Government, Gaming & Lotteries, Police, Graft & Corruption

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno said that like Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, he was on the lookout for the 1 percent of the P30 billion in annual “jueteng” revenues allegedly given to officials of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police.

“If she is looking for that 1 percent, I am also looking for that 1 percent. I’d like to know where that percentage came from and how it is distributed,” Puno said.

He said he wanted to know for the benefit of DILG’s efforts to investigate the illegal numbers racket.

But Puno said he did not hear Santiago’s privilege speech.

The spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, Senior Supt. Agrimero Cruz, said the PNP would wait for a copy of Santiago’s speech to conduct its own investigation.

“We will investigate these allegations, if she will be gracious enough to furnish us a copy. If the evidence warrants it, we will file the appropriate charges,” Cruz said.

(also posted in the Corruption in the Philippines thread)

SENATOR SANTIAGO SAYS:
Atong Ang No. 1 gambling lord (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100923-293817/Atong-Ang-No-1-gambling-lord)
She also slams DILG-PNP control of ‘jueteng’

By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:14:00 09/23/2010

Filed Under: Politics, Police, Government, Graft & Corruption, Gaming & Lotteries, Casinos & Gambling

MANILA, Philippines— Charlie “Atong” Ang, a former gambling buddy of deposed President Joseph Estrada, was not on the list of “jueteng” operators submitted by retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz to the Senate on Tuesday.

But it is a curiosity that Ang topped the list of operators of illegal gambling revealed Wednesday by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

In a privilege speech, Santiago identified Ang as No. 1 in four out of five regions.

The others are Danny Soriano, Bong Pineda, Aging Lisan and Tony Santos. (See list of gambling operators)

Reacting to Santiago’s accusation, Ang said he was not involved in jueteng operations.

Santiago delivered her privilege speech a day after Cruz, head of the People’s Crusade Against Jueteng, released a list of jueteng operators and beneficiaries showing that Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno and former Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Verzosa were receiving up to P8 million a month in jueteng payoffs.

Santiago placed the annual jueteng receipts at P30 billion.

Jueteng has thrived in the Philippines because gambling lords have found the winning combination in a tolerant and corrupt Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), the senator said.

“The equation DILG + PNP = Jueteng” means that illegal jueteng consists of a conspiracy between the interior secretary and the police chief. They are the prime beneficiaries and ultimate protectors of jueteng,” she said.

“If we as a people do not rouse ourselves from our stupor, someday the Philippine president will be elected on the basis of who gets the biggest jueteng contribution,” said Santiago, who took a break from her indefinite leave. She is suffering from hyperthyroidism.

P150 million each

Santiago claimed that the interior secretary and the PNP chief get to divide P300 million (1 percent of the yearly jueteng receipts) every year without the participation of the President.

“In a corrupt situation, all that is necessary is for the interior secretary and the PNP chief to gaze into each other’s eyes, and they fall in love instantly. If you look more closely, you will see that there are peso signs in their eyes, as they gaze lovingly at each other in an orgy of mutual admiration and mutual corruption,” Santiago said.

“Why become senators when we can share from the P150 million that they (PNP and DILG chiefs) get every year? The youth in our schools must be wrong, because they should aspire to be the PNP chief or DILG chief who don’t have to do anything and they can even do blunders but still get P150 million a year,” she said.

Campaign contributions

Under the racketeers’ “political playbook,” they follow closely the most likely winner in the election before committing their resources to secure the odds-on favorite candidate’s loyalty, according to the senator.

“The jueteng lords then move to place their blushing man as DILG head who immediately gets his or her PNP chief to form the perfect formula for jueteng to flourish,” she added.

“This is managed corruption. And these two merchants of poverty operate with impunity until the next administration.”

Santiago said that the “lord of the jueteng lords” could make the President look the other way by making him or her dependent on their support like when the Chief Executive was under threat of a coup d’etat or impeachment in Congress.

Santiago used the photos of Verzosa, former Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno in her PowerPoint presentation.

“The DILG and PNP chief not only make the President “hostage to jueteng money,” they also buy the loyalty of police rank and file by augmenting their income with jueteng money,” Santiago said.

Legalization

Santiago said the government had two choices in resolving jueteng—either enforce the law such as imposing harsher penalties and going after the jueteng lords and protectors rather than the gamblers; or make it legal by amending the Penal Code to control cheating in jueteng and the dishonesty of its promoters, and get tax revenues from jueteng promoters and players.

Santiago likened the government’s fight against jueteng to the US situation during the Prohibition era when liquor flourished even as the authorities imposed a ban on the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcoholic beverages, with bootleggers like Al Capone rising to power.

Santiago noted that just like the Prohibition, the government’s anti-jueteng stance had led to the perennial criminal conspiracy between the interior secretary and the PNP chief and allowed jueteng operators to determine winners in local elections with their illicit, untaxed wealth.

Champion vanquished

The government stance is breeding corruption that vanquishes any champion of law enforcement, Santiago said.

With the government failing to curb jueteng since the Spanish times, she said it would be better for the government to regulate rather than abolish jueteng on paper. “Our mandate on jueteng is clear: enforce the law, or legalize jueteng,” the senator said.

“If all else fails, then as lawmakers we have to consider the proposal to legalize jueteng and declare an amnesty period for jueteng operators to legalize themselves by paying a legalization fee to the government, and by paying subsequent taxes that shall be treated as analogues of internal revenue allotments,” she said.

Why STL fails

Santiago said the government’s attempt to provide an alternative, the Small Town Lottery, had failed because only 10 to 15 percent of its earnings were declared with the rest siphoned off to jueteng.

In her speech, Santiago further bared juicy details about the multibillion jueteng racket.

Santiago said jueteng operators were spending 34 percent of the P30 billion in annual revenues for operating expenses—2 percent for the cabo; 10 percent for the cobrador; and 22 percent for management.

Protection money

Based on her source who was not identified for security reasons, Santiago said the “protection money” was distributed as follows:

• One percent goes to the DILG-PNP syndicate composed of the secretary, undersecretary, the police chief, and head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

• Two percent goes to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office syndicate composed of its chair, general manager, board directors, legal department, Romualdo Quiñones of PCSO and a “Sabella” plus taxes (including the papeletos).

• One percent to the syndicate of the Games and Amusement Board, the intelligence officer and media.

• Three percent to the provincial government syndicate of the governor, vice governor and provincial board members.

• One percent to the PNP provincial director.

• A fifth of one percent (0.2) to the provincial director of the National Bureau of Investigation.

• One percent to the syndicate of the PNP regional director and Regional Mobile Group.

• Five percent to the municipal syndicate made up of the mayor, vice mayor and city council members;

• Two percent to the congressman; and

• One percent to the local chief of police.

Santiago said she was collecting more data from her informants and hinted that she might come up with a second part in her exposé.

^^ Maybe a poll who are in favor or against the legalization of jueteng? :)

GenSan exec claims death threats for refusing gambling bribe

By Aquiles Zonio
Inquirer Mindanao
First Posted 20:06:00 09/25/2010

Filed Under: Casinos & Gambling, Local authorities, Bribery, Graft & Corruption

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – A city councilor claimed Saturday he has started receiving threats after he turned down P2-million bribe offered by illegal gambling operators.

But Dante Vicente would not say directly that the threats came from "Last Two Digits" operators.

Vicente, a former broadcaster, said operators of "Last Two Digits," a very popular numbers game in Mindanao that is based on the winning Lotto numbers, twice sent an emissary to ask protection for their illegal trade.

“The first time an emissary came was in August, then again on September 1,” said Vicente, chairman of the city council’s peace and order committee.

He said that during the first meeting, the emissary, whom he would not identify, was reluctant to open up.

On the second meeting, Vicente said the emissary told him that the P2 million-protection money was available for release to him anytime.

“According to the emissary, the group behind the illegal gambling here also wanted me to author a resolution allowing the reopening of Last Two outlets in the city,” Vicente said.

He said he bluntly told the emissary that he could never allow himself to be used for illegal activities.

“I told the emissary that allowing illegal gambling operation in the city is against the policy of Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio and the national government,” Vicente said.

After he rejected the offer, the threats started to come in, according to Vicente.

He said Custodio knew about the threats and that the mayor provided him security escorts.

Vicente said it was also on Custodio’s advice that he was making the threats public.

Meanwhile, Custodio said the campaign against illegal gambling here was continuing.

She said a strike force composed of select policemen was organized to monitor and run after illegal gambling operators.

The creation of a strike force, Custodio said, was necessary to sustain the campaign against illegal gambling and other forms of unlawful activities in the city.

I can Defend Jueteng Exposé before God and Men — Cruz
By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO
September 25, 2010, 9:56pm

MANILA, Philippines — Like a rock firmly rooted on the ground, retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz swears that he can defend his exposé on jueteng before God and men.

Stung by the statement of businessman Antonio “Tonyboy” Cojuangco that his jueteng claims were “unsubstantiated,” the former president of the

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines said his exposé is corroborated by several "reliable sources" from the government itself.

“The evidence against jueteng lords and jueteng payola, these are all first-hand (information) from witnesses. It is all seen. There is no paper trail, no receipt, no voucher. All you have are first-hand accounts from witnesses,” Cruz said.

He said his information was from government agents themselves – the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and from different dioceses.

Cojuangco, the maternal uncle of President Aquino, has said that he did not bother for lack of evidence to provide his nephew the list that Cruz gave him detailing those supposed to be receiving bribes from jueteng operators.

At the Senate hearing on the jueteng controversy, it was revealed that Cruz and Cojuangco had met in the former’s office to discuss the prelate’s claims that some government officials were in the payroll of the operators of the illegal numbers game.

In that meeting, Cruz said Cojuangco asked him to go easy on his jueteng expose. Cruz related that he gave Cojuangco the list of jueteng beneficiaries, which he stressed to the businessman that it was based on first-hand information from witnesses.

Although the meeting between the two was supposed to be hush-hush, it surfaced when Senator Jinggoy Estrada brought asked Cruz about it during the Senate probe.

“I told him, I'll give you this list, before God and conscience, nobody would know about this, just the three of us (including God) and we shook hands on that," he said.

“If I had doubts about the list, I wouldn’t have any second thoughts of giving it to him. That list was confidential. I was thinking it could at least the President know who are on the take from jueteng,” Cruz said.

In New York where he was part of the President’s delegation, Cojuangco refuted Cruz’s claims that the Church official has evidence on jueteng.

He said he did not bother to give the President the list that Cruz gave because it was not backed up by hard evidence.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279041/i-can-defend-jueteng-expos-god-and-men-cruz

PRO 13 Chief Imposes 'One-Strike' Policy to Field Commanders on Gambling

By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
September 27, 2010, 12:00pm

CAMP RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – Taking the cue of Philippine National Police Chief (PNP) Director General Raul Bacalzo’s drive against illegal number games, the regional command of Northeastern Mindanao Police Regional office 13 (PRO 13) on Monday announced the imposition on “one-strike policy” in the all-out campaign against illegal gambling region-wide.

In a command conference at PRO 13 regional headquarters at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez here, Chief Supt. Reynaldo S. Rafal put a strongly-worded directive to all his regional and provincial mobile force commanders, city and provincial police directors and municipal chiefs of police against all forms of illegal number games, particularly “suertres” and “last two”. Jueteng game is not existing in the Caraga region.

The region’s police chief is determined to implement PNP Chief Bacalzo’s directive on “one-strike policy” in the campaign against illegal gambling in the region.

However, Chief Supt. Rafal said “Punishment and Rewards Policy“ as rule-of-thumb in the drive against illegal gambling in the area will be thoroughly observe.“ Reward those who adhere to our policies, but punish also those who are violating it,” stressed Chief Supt. Rafal.

Rafal’s “declaration of war” against all forms of illegal number games is now being fully supported by the religious sector, particularly the Caraga Conference for Peace and Development (CCPD) led by former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos of the Diocese of Butuan.

As this developed, the region’s police chief intensified “intelligence network” in identifying persons or financiers against illegal number games. “We are serious to put an end to these illegal activities and other form of criminalities,” pointed out Chief Supt. Rafal.

“We need you, the media, religious, academe and all sectors of the society to help us. We cannot immediately eradicate this problem without your support,” said Chief Supt. Rafal, in an interview.

Rafal also emphasized that police field commanders, directors and town’s police chief, that the “three-strike policy” as per instructions from the PNP chief must be applied to all in the Caraga region.

The regional command and tactical operation center will be coordinating with the governors and mayors and other law enforcement agencies in the strict implementation and eradication of illegal number games in the region, he added.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279235/pro-13-chief-imposes-onestrike-policy-field-commanders-gambling

'STL aggravating jueteng problem'

By Paolo Romero (The Philippine Star) Updated September 28, 2010 12:00

MANILA, Philippines - Private operators of small-town lottery (STL) have been depriving the government of billions of pesos in revenues, retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz said yesterday.

Testifying before the House of Representatives, Cruz said seven STL operators have been underreporting their gross sales to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

“The PCSO has been duped to high heavens, so to speak,” he said.

“In short, there is something very, very wrong in how STL is being operated in the country, how the STL is practically in the hands of jueteng operators.”

Cruz said the Piroutte Corp., the STL operator in Quezon province, has earned P1.8 billion between January and June this year but declared only P90,855,684 in receipts to the PCSO.

The Batangas Enhanced Technology Systems Inc. profited P240 million a month in Batangas during the same period but declared only sales of P62 million to the PCSO, he added.

STL operators Lake Tahoe Gaming and Amusement Corp., Sunset Bay Research and Marketing Corp., Ramloid Gaming Corp., Diamond Gaming and Research Center Corp., and Suncove Corp. also understated their gross receipts, Cruz said.

PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas told the House committee on games and amusement that since the STL started operating from 2006 and until August 2010, it has recorded gross sales of P8.4 billion.

However, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said STL was supposed to be a P40-billion a year industry.

Responding, Rojas said the figure might not be accurate because the STL was only operating in 20 provinces.

San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito asked Cruz whether jueteng was rampant in the previous administration.

In response, Cruz said: “I would answer by saying (jueteng) flourished in the present administration.”

He was already having doubts in the Aquino administration’s resolve to stamp out illegal gambling, Cruz added.

Santiago to Malacañang: Study jueteng legalization

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago called on Malacañang yesterday to study proposals to legalize jueteng.

In a privilege speech, Santiago said the United States had to repeal a constitutional amendment prohibiting the sale of liquor in the 1920s.

“There are occasions when government, seeking to prohibit absolutely, finds the law impossible to enforce,” she said.

“If we cannot prohibit, should we not regulate?”

Speaking over Radyo Bombo in Iloilo City, Santiago said Philippine presidents have come and gone, but jueteng has remained.

“No administration has yet succeeded in sending a gambling lord to jail,” she said.

“If so, should we not settle for regulating jueteng, instead of abolishing it on paper, without any realistic hope of success on the ground?”

Santiago said Congress should consider legalization because the prohibition of jueteng has merely increased its reach and volume and led to the “perennial criminal conspiracy” between the interior and local government secretary and the Philippine National Police chief.

Jueteng has enabled operators, through their untaxed wealth and major campaign contributions, to control the winners in local and national elections, she added.

Santiago said she has been receiving death threats since she came out with her exposé on jueteng last week.?“Please post all death threats on my Facebook wall,” she said.

Santiago said the “implied threats” were coursed through her office in Quezon City.

The callers did not identify themselves but they made it clear that they were responding to her privilege speech last week, she added.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Alan Cayetano urged Malacañang to make a stand if it is for or against jueteng.

“For me, what are we jueteng for?” he said.

“Are we waiting for another news cycle or a new issue or do we really mean business under this new administration?”

Cayetano said jueteng has affected two presidencies already.

“I think people who love this president should start moving and show that we really mean business in stopping this illegal numbers game,” he said.

“I think the bigger question for this administration is ‘What are we jueteng (waiting) for? Are we ‘jueteng’ for the hearings to finish?”

Cayetano said the Senate inquiries on jueteng will only make sense if the executive branch takes a stand.

Earlier, a franchise holder of STL in Batangas pushed to professionalize mobile STL operations to generate revenues for the government and eradicate jueteng.

Benedict Bulatao, president of BETS, said the move aims to save the betting public from rampant cheating and proliferation of corruption at the local level.

He said BETS is the only Filipino firm that can effectively operate STL using software system integration that will not allow cheating unlike jueteng. The firm has also been a pioneer of reforms in the STL operations in the country that seeks to professionalize online betting and raise proper revenues for the government.

“The technology is already there and it’s just a matter of maximizing it. We can help the society earn from the revenues and avoid cheating the public by using this,” Bulatao said.

Bacalzo: Don’t use my name in jueteng

Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo warned yesterday individuals against using his name or the police force in their illegal gambling.?Director Raul Castañeda, chief of the directorial staff, said Bacalzo is committed to ensure that the police will enjoy the trust and confidence of the people.

“Anyone caught using his name and/or PNP in achieving his evil intention will be arrested, investigated, and if evidence warrants, appropriate charges will be filed against them,” he said.?All police chiefs are held responsible for the strict implementation of Bacalzo’s directive, and that the doctrine of command responsibility shall be enforced on commanders whose subordinates are caught violating the directive, Castañeda said.— WIth Christina Mendez, Marvin Sy, Cecille Suerte Felipe

STL franchise holder: Hi-Tech is the way to go


Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:34:00 09/29/2010

Filed Under: Casinos & Gambling, Government

MANILA, Philippines—A franchise holder of Small Town Lottery (STL) in Batangas is pushing to professionalize mobile STL operations to generate revenue for the government and eradicate jueteng, the illegal version of the numbers game.

Benedict Bulatao, president of the Batangas Enhanced Technology Systems Inc. (BETS), said the move aims to save the betting public from rampant cheating and corruption at the local level.

In a press statement, he said BETS is the only Filipino firm that can effectively operate STL using software system integration that will eliminate cheating which jueteng is known for. The firm, which claims to be a pioneer of reforms in the STL operations in the country, said it is seeking to professionalize online betting and raise proper revenues for the government.

“The technology is already there and it’s just a matter of maximizing it. We can help the society earn from the revenues and avoid cheating the public by using this,” said Bulatao.

He said his company is hopeful that the management of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) would allow them to launch this October the GSM-capable machines for STL operations.

Mobile STL system aims to protect the betting public from systematic cheating like jueteng because it is being drawn through live broadcast under the supervision of the PCSO.

The mobile STL also allows ease of use with its intuitive betting interface and access through ordinary mobile phones.

NegOcc execs seek guidelines on jai alai


Cebu Daily News First Posted 08:13:00 09/29/2010 Filed Under: Casinos & Gambling



Bacolod City — The Negros Association of Chief Executives Inc. has asked the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for guidance on the issue of legality of the jai alai and other numbers games.

“We are seeking the clarification so, once and for all, we will have clear-cut guidelines on how to deal with these numbers games,” according to EB Magalona Mayor David Lacson, president of the Negros Ace and the League of Municipalities of Negros Occidental.

Lacson said on Monday that their group was still preparing the resolution seeking the opinion of the DILG and the DOJ.

Calatrava town and Escalante City have granted business permits for jai alai betting stations of the Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. in their areas but the police have continued to arrest jai alai bet collectors.

The Meridien holds the jai alai games, which has been aired nightly over Solar TV Channel 9, at the Sports Valley court in Sta. Ana, Cagayan and is reportedly under the jurisdiction of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA).

The CEZA had given authority to Meridien to establish a jai alai fronton and other support service facilities within the zone, including telecommunications for use by the firm for its online betting activities.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said he also supported the query of the Negros Ace, an organization composed of the mayors of Negros Occidental. Lacson was elected president of the Negros Ace on Friday, replacing former Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante.



He said Talisay Mayor Eric Saratan was elected as vice president, Don Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen de la Cruz as secretary general, San Enrique Mayor Mario Magno as auditor, La Carlota Mayor Juliet Marie Ferrer as treasurer and Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano as public information officer.



The members of the Negros Ace board of directors are mayors Jose Montelibano of Silay City, Isidro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Gerardo Valmayor Jr. of San Carlos City and Rafael Leo Cueva of Sagay City. /INQUIRER

JPE, Jinggoy Back Jueteng Legalization
By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
September 29, 2010, 8:14pm

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Wednesday expressed support for a bill that aims to legalize jueteng operations in the country but some senators doubted that officially permitting its operations would be beneficial.

Earlier, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada filed Senate Bill Number 2548 or the proposed “Jueteng Act of 2010” to allow the government to collect revenues from this so-called illegal numbers game.

Under the bill, jueteng operations would be under the sole control and supervision of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). Enrile said he wants the proposal debated at the Senate floor.

“I’m in favor of legalizing and if possible we’ll pass this and let the other sign or make a disposition of it. We will take a position we are ready to defend our position. I’m sure the others will oppose it with their own position. We can debate it,” Enrile told reporters in an interview before the Senate 3 p.m. session.

“(I am in favor of legalizing it) because, first it will erase all sources of corruption – corruption of the police, corruption of local officials, corruption of the society. And you cannot tax the income of these jueteng operators because they are precisely illegal, underground,” he pointed out.

But Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the measure has to prove how the system should work.

“Am I in favor of legalization per se? It depends. It really depends on what kind, how it will move from the present illegal system to a legal system. How the sharing will be among government agencies at the Local government level, at the national level,” Marcos said.

But before lawmakers debate on the bill, Marcos said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should continue its probe into how illegal jueteng operations became rampant.

Likewise, the bill states that no police or government official shall allow the operation of any illegal numbers game in their area of jurisdiction.

But the measure allows Pagcor to establish provincial, city, or municipal offices for its operation at the local level.

Under the bill, illegal jueteng operators would be facing a P2-million fine and reclusion perpetua. If the offender is a government or public, he should be meted with a penalty of life imprisonment with disqualification from holding any public office and a fine of at least P1 million.

“Through its legalization, the government can finally collect the revenues sourced from this numbers game, make use of the proceeds to finance important government programs, deny syndicates the opportunity to benefit from it and stamp out corruption,” Estrada said.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279749/jpe-jinggoy-back-jueteng-legalization

Solon wants lotto out of PCSO’s hands

by Eileen A. Mencias

SENATOR Miriam Defensor Santiago wants to strip the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office of its authority to conduct sweepstakes, races, and lotteries that account for bulk of its revenues.

Santiago has accused the PCSO of taking bribe money from jueteng operators, supposedly even getting a bigger share of the loot than the Philippine National Police and the Interior and Local Government department put together.

While the PNP and the DILG get only a one-percent share of the P30-billion gross revenues in jueteng, Santiago said a syndicate within the PCSO gets a two-percent share or roughly P600 million.

Santiago filed Senate Bill 2312 that seeks to amend the PCSO charter.

“The present lottery system of (PCSO) has been plagued by allegations of graft and corruption, especially in connection with the authority of this agency to conduct lotteries and other similar activities, in collaboration, association, or joint venture with any person, association, company or entity, whether domestic, or foreign, including any arrangements that bears an identifiable resemblance to the subsisting Equipment Lease Agreement,” Santiago said in her explanatory note.

She said the ELA is a “fraudulent misrepresentation” because it is the Philippine Gaming Management Corp. and not the PCSO that controls the latter’s main computer in actual practice and that two cases have already been filed in the Supreme Court involving the lease contract between PCSO and the PGMC.

When the Supreme Court deliberately ignores the intent of legislators in making its decision, Santiago said it is necessary to pass a law to make it “completely clear” that the prohibition against joint ventures not only applies to investments but also to programs and projects.

She said repeated confidential reports to the Office of the President from former PCSO chairperson Mita Pardo de Tavera warning that the lottery bidding was rigged had also been disregarded.

Santiago said the other reports of graft and corruption in the PCSO include its failure to account for some P800 million earned from the small town lottery operations.

Santiago charged that the “syndicate” in the PCSO that accepts bribes from jueteng allowed STL to be used as the front for jueteng operations.

Aside from the PCSO, Santiago said the Games and Amusement Board, together with some intelligence officers and even members of the media supposedly also get a one percent share of jueteng proceeds.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office president and general manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said the PCSO is conducting a “thorough evaluation” of the contracts of its existing STL operators to determine whether or not they are remitting the right amounts to government.

“We have received reports that what we are getting [from STL operators] is not right,” Roxas said in a hearing of the senate blue ribbon committee.

“We are looking at the existing contracts of the 25 operators. Upon evaluation, we will which complied or violated the contract. We have the right to cancel or replace them,” he added.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the government is only getting 15 percent of the proceeds that STL operators should be remitting to government.

The Senate blue ribbon committee has scheduled another hearing on jueteng today.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=/2010/september/30/metro1.isx&d=2010/september/30

JPE, Jinggoy Back Jueteng Legalization
By HANNAH L. TORREGOZA
September 29, 2010, 8:14pm

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Wednesday expressed support for a bill that aims to legalize jueteng operations in the country but some senators doubted that officially permitting its operations would be beneficial.

Earlier, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada filed Senate Bill Number 2548 or the proposed “Jueteng Act of 2010” to allow the government to collect revenues from this so-called illegal numbers game.

Under the bill, jueteng operations would be under the sole control and supervision of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor). Enrile said he wants the proposal debated at the Senate floor.

“I’m in favor of legalizing and if possible we’ll pass this and let the other sign or make a disposition of it. We will take a position we are ready to defend our position. I’m sure the others will oppose it with their own position. We can debate it,” Enrile told reporters in an interview before the Senate 3 p.m. session.

“(I am in favor of legalizing it) because, first it will erase all sources of corruption – corruption of the police, corruption of local officials, corruption of the society. And you cannot tax the income of these jueteng operators because they are precisely illegal, underground,” he pointed out.

But Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the measure has to prove how the system should work.

“Am I in favor of legalization per se? It depends. It really depends on what kind, how it will move from the present illegal system to a legal system. How the sharing will be among government agencies at the Local government level, at the national level,” Marcos said.

But before lawmakers debate on the bill, Marcos said the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should continue its probe into how illegal jueteng operations became rampant.

Likewise, the bill states that no police or government official shall allow the operation of any illegal numbers game in their area of jurisdiction.

But the measure allows Pagcor to establish provincial, city, or municipal offices for its operation at the local level.

Under the bill, illegal jueteng operators would be facing a P2-million fine and reclusion perpetua. If the offender is a government or public, he should be meted with a penalty of life imprisonment with disqualification from holding any public office and a fine of at least P1 million.

“Through its legalization, the government can finally collect the revenues sourced from this numbers game, make use of the proceeds to finance important government programs, deny syndicates the opportunity to benefit from it and stamp out corruption,” Estrada said.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279749/jpe-jinggoy-back-jueteng-legalization

Interesting .....

PCSO Set to Release New STL Guidelines

By EDD K. USMAN
October 5, 2010, 7:59pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Board of Directors will finish and release this week a new set of guidelines for the controversial Small Town Lottery (STL) aimed at strengthening STL against illegal numbers games, particularly "jueteng," PCSO Chairperson Margarita "Margie" P. Juico said on Tuesday.

Juico and PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand "Joy" Rojas II were guests at the Bulong-Pulungan media forum moderated by Deedee Sytangco, former spokeswoman of the late President Cory Aquino.

The top two PCSO officials spoke with the Manila Bulletin before the start of the forum at a hotel in Pasay City.

Juico and Rojas said they are still refining and polishing the new set of STL guidelines, adding that it could be completed and released this week.

"Once we are through with it, this will be released and announced. We will invite the members of the media for this," she said.

At the forum proper, organizers and guests took turns shooting questions on the STL and its alleged links with jueteng.

Rojas said the aim of the new set of guidelines is to strengthen STL against jueteng, improve its operation, and make it more productive for the stakeholders.

Rojas said in the three years that STL has been operating in only a few provinces, he considers it “successful" for earning for the PCSO some P10 billion.

This is not yet even operating around the country, the PCSO general manager said.

The new guidelines, he said, will endeavor to put some dignity to STL "cubradores" (bet collectors), giving them Social Security System (SSS) and PhilHealth accreditations.

Whether the PCSO plans to operate STL on a national level, Rojas said this is still being considered by the new Board.

He said the PCSO will open STL applications once the new guidelines are completed.

The Juico-chaired Board has suspended the grant of STL contracts since they assumed office less than eight weeks ago.

"STL is here to fight jueteng," she said.

Juico lauded the "one-strike policy" being undertaken by the new leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under Director General Raul Bacalzo.

She said some STL operators have increased their collections by 50 percent after the police tightened their drive against jueteng collectors

"I hope this will continue," said Juico.

The new STL guidelines will strengthen coordination between the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the PNP and the PCSO, she said.

The PCSO does not support the legalization of jueteng.

"Why legalize jueteng when we already have STL," Rojas said.



http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/280707/pcso-set-release-new-stl-guidelines

Officials Air Views on Jueteng

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN
October 6, 2010, 4:17pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee said Wednesday the Legislative branch composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives should sit down and decide whether or not to legalize the decades-old, multi-billion-peso “jueteng’’ (illegal numbers game) operations and put an end to its vicious web of corruption.

Sen. Teofisto L. Guingona III, committee chairman, said the issue “is as contentious as the RH (Reproductive Health) bill and maybe it will take sometime (for the committee to wind up its hearing) and that everyone in the Legislature, the Senate and the House of Representatives) should be involved.’’

The proposed legalization of “jueteng’’ finds support in the Senate led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Senate President Pro Tempor Jose “Jinggoy’’ Estrada and Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the Senate public order and illegal drugs committee that is conducting a joint hearing on the “jueteng’’ issue alongside Guingona’s committee.

A confidential report on “jueteng’’ operations showed that the illegal numbers game grosses P2.575 billion a month or P30.9 billion annually.

Enrile himself said that the government could stop “jueteng’’ operations for a day, a week, a month or even a year but “it would come back again, again, again and again’’ as the masses of people would continue putting their bets and that police operations against “jueteng’’ are but “charades.’’

Guingona issued the statement after conducting the committee’s third hearing on the “jueteng’’ issue where allies of President Aquino were linked to an alleged regular “jueteng’’ payola such as Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Rico Puno and former Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Jesus Verzosa.

Former Pampanga Gov. Eduardo “Among’’ Panlilio said his expectations that the President would go hammer and tongs against organized “jueteng’’ operation is not forthcoming despite his pronouncements of a clean and honest government.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/280803/officials-air-views-jueteng

Belle looking for new operator of planned $350-million casino

BELLE Corp., the high-end leisure developer and gaming firm controlled by the family of mall and banking tycoon Henry Sy, sees no delays in the start of operations of a planned $350-million casino two years from now.

This was despite a setback in negotiations with entertainment giant Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., an executive said.

“The target [opening] is still first quarter of 2012,” Manuel A. Gana, executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Belle, told reporters late last week.

Mr. Gana said the company would likely pick a new casino operator next month, adding that partner Leisure and Resorts World Corp. was in talks with several potential partners.

Last year, Belle took charge of the gaming component of the Sy-led SM conglomerate’s proposed $1-billion leisure complex at the 120-hectare Bagong Nayong Pilipino.

Mr. Gana said the structure would be completed next year. Leisure and Resorts World will bring in equipment like slot machines. The $350-million casino is expected to be the largest in the country.

Phase one of construction includes a casino and VIP suites with 100 units. About 500 hotels rooms will then be built.

The casino will also have 250 tables and 1,500 slot machines.

“Leisure and Resorts World is our operating partner but still [has] to look for other [partners],” Mr. Gana said. “We certainly would need help in running the operations of the casinos -- how to manage cash and how to make sure there will be enough cash for people who want to play,” he added.

Listed Leisure and Resorts World, which earlier announced discussions with casino operators in Macau and Singapore, specializes in VIP services.

Mr. Gana said the details of the hotel, theater and other structures that will be part of the $1-billion, 25-year SM venture have yet to be finalized.

Mr. Gana said the firm’s third-quarter profits were expected to have grown from last year. “We will outperform last year, I think,” he said.

Consolidated net income of the company jumped by 148% to P301.2 million in the third quarter last year. Profits of Belle went up by 15% to P181.3 million in the first half.

Shares in Belle fell P0.02 to close at P2.38 each on Friday. -- Neil Jerome C. Morales
|

[I]http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=19629

PNP Sends Clear Message to Laguna Cops, Gamers
By FERDINAND F. CASTRO and AARON B. RECUENCO
October 18, 2010, 6:44pm

CAMP GEN VICENTE LIM, Laguna — Two chiefs of police of Laguna were relieved from their posts after an anti-jueteng operation yielded positive result in their respective areas of jurisdiction (AORs), the third and fourth officials relieved over the one-strike policy of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against the controversial illegal numbers game.

Last week, Senior Inspector Noel Carias, chief of police of Alaminos town in Laguna, was relieved after a raid of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) resulted in the arrest of nine “jueteng” collectors on October 14.

On Monday, Superintendent Ferdinand de Castro was also sacked as chief of police of San Pablo City because jueteng operations continued in Barangay San Ignacio.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, newly-installed Police Regional Office 4-A (PRO4-A) director, said the relief of De Castro and Carias from their posts followed raids by operatives of NBI in their AORs that showed the continued existence of jueteng.

Reports said that on Friday afternoon, fourteen persons allegedly involved in jueteng were arrested in a joint operations conducted by members of the Counter Intelligence Division of NBI and San Pablo City police in Barangay San Ignacio, San Pablo City.

Authorities recovered P12,700 cash money, and several jueteng paraphernalia including notebooks, card boards with bet schedule.

Those arrested suspects were identified as Fidencio Velasco, 39, Herson Mendoza, 22, Kim Patrick-Bitoonas, 19, Alvin Ignacio, 48, Vicky Ignacio, 48, Rosa Dela Cruz, 58, Efren Nuque, 61, Conrado Capistrano, Juanito Flores, Ilona Reyes, 47, a certain alias Rowena, 49, all residents of San Pablo City, Jeffrey Cajayon, 18 , and Kem Malala, 28, both from Candelaria, Quezon and Ilona Cruz, 39, of Bocaue, Bulacan.

The NBI also raided Alaminos, Laguna and apprehended more or less ten suspects who yielded jueteng paraphernalia last Thursday.

“The chief of police of Alaminos was relieved by the provincial director of Laguna on the same day the “jueteng” operation was conducted while the chief of police of San Pablo City was administratively relieved effective October 18,” said Bacalzo.

“I have also directed the regional director of Region 4A (which covers Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon or Calabarzon) to investigate the two chiefs of police,” he added.

Pagdilao said the relief order is a strong message to the police commanders that they should not be remiss in their duty of stamping out illegal numbers game in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

“The relief of the two chiefs of police should serve notice to all our commanders that we are dead serious in our effort against ‘jueteng’ in the region. This should warn them of the consequence of inaction or negligence,” said Pagdilao.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/282908/pnp-sends-clear-message-laguna-cops-gamers

Grand Lotto 6/55 Pot Balloons to P243.5 Million
By EDD K. USMAN
October 19, 2010, 8:07pm

MANILA, Philippines — The ballooning jackpot, now P243,564,552, from the Grand Lotto (6/55) of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is still up for grabs as there was no winner in Monday night's draw.

Manny Garcia, PCSO manager for Public Relations and Publicity Department (PRPD), said both Grand Lotto and its companion draw Monday night, Mega Lotto (6/45) with a pot of P7.4 million, had no winner.

Garcia said the PCSO expects more bettors to crowd betting stations for the Grand Lotto's Wednesday draw.

He said winning numbers in the Oct. 18 Grand Lotto, which is drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, are 14, 32, 30, 47, 18, and 23.

Super Lotto (6/49) jackpot, to be drawn last night, also breached the P100 million mark. It now has a pot of P121 million and is expected to increase after Tuesday's sold tickets are added to the prize.

As this developed, the Quezon City-based PCSO has started moving since Oct. 9 to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City in response to a recommendation to abandon the PCSO Main Building because of safety concerns in case of a major earthquake.

PCSO Chairperson Margarita P. Juico, with support from General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II and the Board of Directors, earlier decided on transferring to the PICC after a structural assessment of the PCSO main building made by engineers from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and a private engineering group.

DPWH engineers discovered structural deficiencies at the more than 70-year-old building, prompting DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson to write Juico, recommending the building's demolition.

Since the building is not owned by PCSO, but by the Philippine Tuberculosis Society (PTS), Singson recommended abandoning it.

Garcia said the Legal Department (LD), Special Projects Department (SPD), and Office of the Assistant General Manager for Corporate Planning (OAGM-CP) have already transferred.

Other offices are still moving out, Garcia said.

Former PCSO official Manoling Morato has raised opposition to the transfer, citing many reasons. But Juico defended the move, saying the main concern was the safety of the employees.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/283072/grand-lotto-655-pot-balloons-p2435-million

Local government units have no power to stop STL - DOJ
By Edu Punay (The Philippine Star) Updated October 25, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (1) View comments

MANILA, Philippines – Local government units (LGUs) have no power to stop the operations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s small town lottery (STL) and other similar lotteries in their cities and towns, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said in a legal opinion that the authority of city or municipal governments to regulate business within their respective areas of jurisdiction given by Section 447 and 458 of the Local Government Code of 1991 does not include the power over operations of national government agencies and its instrumentalities.

“Put differently, it means LGUs have no power to issue business permits, licenses to the agencies and instrumentalities of the State, of which the PCSO is one, nor demand or collect permit/license fees incident to the issuance of such permits/licenses,” she said, citing DOJ’s Legal Opinion No. 74 issued in 1995

“Its duly appointed sales agents are, as you have pointed out, mere extensions of the PCSO, and should, like the PCSO, be also considered exempt from the licensing authority of the LGUs where they operate,” De Lima added.

The Justice secretary issued her stand on whether or not the chief executives of LGUs have authority to “summarily and unilaterally” stop or suspend the operations of PCSO’s STL and similar lotteries in their areas upon request of PCSO chair Margarita Juico.

Juico made the request after receiving reports that certain governors and mayors have ordered the stoppage or suspension of STL operations in their areas invoking their alleged absolute decentralized powers to regulate any business within their territorial jurisdiction pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991.

The PCSO maintained that under its charter (RA 1169) and certain pronouncements of the Supreme Court, LGUs “ have neither power nor authority to suspend or stop lottery games sanctioned or operated by the PCSO.”

De Lima, however, advised the PCSO to seek the opinion of Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), which has been designated by the President through Executive Order 596 as the principal law office of government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), and government instrumentality vested with corporate powers.

The DOJ chief also noted that Section 1 of Administrative Order 130, mandates that all legal matters pertaining to GOCCs, their subsidiaries, corporate offspring and government-acquired asset corporations be referred to and handled by the OGCC, unless their respective charters expressly name the Office of the Solicitor General as head legal counsel.

“Thus, as we have consistently stated, for OGCC to be able to discharge its function as such, it shall be the duty of all said corporations to refer to it all important legal questions for opinion, advice and determination, all proposed contracts and all important court cases for his services,” De Lima added.

buy your tickets na.....:D


Grand Lotto remains elusive; jackpot may breach P320 million
By EDD K. USMAN
November 4, 2010, 7:57pm

MANILA, Philippines — Millions of bettors seeking instant ticket to good life away from poverty have again failed to grab during last Wednesday night's draw the surging jackpot, now P311,938,542, of the Grand Lotto 6/55 of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Grand Lotto is played every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. No one picked the six-number winning combinatoin – 43-20-05-37-13-06 – in the Nov. 3 draw.

Liza Gabuyo, PCSO acting assistant general manager for On-Line Lottery Department (OLLD), told the Manila Bulletin on

Thursday that on Grand Lotto's next draw tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 6, she estimates the bonanza to reach P321 million.

“We are thankful to the betting public for the increasing sales of our lotto games. As the sales of lotto tickets continue to rise, the PCSO Charity Fund also increases, which will spread wider the agency's various forms of assistance to the needy,” said Gabuyo, who took over from Conrado “Dodie” Zabella, who went on leave last month for treatment of an aching back.

But while the PCSO is glad due to the rising lotto sales, Gabuyo said the management also wants Filipinos to win the lotto games.

“As they keep on betting, they help our Charity Fund and also have the opportunity to win in any of the lotto games,” she added.

Winning at this time is particularly significant because of the approaching Christmas season, she said.

Aside from the Grand Lotto, the PCSO also offers the Super Lotto 6/49 every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday; Megalotto 6/45 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; Lotto (for Luzon and the Visayas only) also thrice weekly – Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

On Tuesday, Manny Garcia, PCSO manager for public relations and publicity department (PRPD), cited the government fund-raising agency's mission to help Filipinos, particularly the indigent.

“It is the wish of the PCSO management under Chairperson Margarita P. Juico that there will be winners in the lotto draws. That is our constant wish because the bettors are helping the PCSO in its medical and health services and assistance through its bets,” Garcia said.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/285929/grand-lotto-remains-elusive-jackpot-may-breach-p320-million

I joined the frenzy last night - bought tickets! All lotto outlets have long queues. Nobody won last night. It will go as high as P360M ++, that's more than US$8 M!. hehehehe


P350-M Grand Lotto pot highest in PCSO history
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 11/08/2010 6:01 PM | Updated as of 11/08/2010 10:38 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The 6/55 Grand Lotto jackpot prize is expected to reach P350 million in Monday's draw, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said.

The jackpot will surpass the P347,836,903.20 that 2 people won and shared in the 6/49 Super Lotto draw on February 22, 2009, PCSO's Arnel Casas said.

The 6/55 Grand Lotto Draw has not had a winner for almost 6 months since it was first drawn on May 15, 2010, where it started with a minimum jackpot prize of P30 million, according to Casas.

No one guessed the winning combination of 15-38-17-39-11-03 in the previous draw last Saturday.

Senators also caught by Lotto fever
KIMBERLY TAN, GMANews.TV
11/09/2010 | 05:06 PM

Even the Senate was caught by the Lotto fever as at least five senators on Tuesday admitted that they took a swipe at the P354-million 6/55 Grand Lotto pot — the biggest prize in Philippines lotteries handled by the Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Senate Majority Floor Leader Tito Sotto, Senators Francis Escudero, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ramon Bong Revilla, and Senator Ralph Recto admitted that they bought Lotto tickets for Wednesday's draw for a chance to bag the grand prize.

Escudero said he bought four combinations for three successive draws in case the pot is not won by anybody on Wednesday. He said he used the birthdays and ages of members of his family in determining the combination.

He noted, however, that he has yet to decide where he would spend the P354-million prize should he bag it.

"Para sa akin ayoko bilangin anumang pera na di ko pa hawak, mahirap at masakit sa ulo yun (I don't want to count money that I haven't even touched yet. That would be difficult)," he told reporters in an interview on Tuesday.

Zubiri, however, said he already has a plan should he snag the elusive jackpot.

"Sana manalo tayo, kasi kalahati nun gagastusin ko sa pagbayad ko ng advertising ko sa eleksyon. Yung kalahati siguro kung ako ay manalo at bigyan ng suwerte ng mahal na Diyos ay paghatian po natin yan sa iba't-ibang charitable institutions," he said in a separate interview.

(I hope I win because I will spend half of it to pay for advertising for the elections and the other half to charitable institutions.)

He said he betted on machine-generated combinations worth P1,000. He added that he usually buys P2,000 worth of Lotto tickets every time he goes home to Bukidnon.

On the other hand, Revilla said he bought P500 worth of Lotto tickets while Recto said he bought three tickets in a bid to win the pot. "I advise you to bet on high numbers," said Recto.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/205538/senators-also-caught-by-lotto-fever

No lotto winner; prize up P535M

By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:43:00 11/18/2010

MANILA, Philippines—The wait is still on for the bettor who will win the 6/55 Grand Lotto as no one won the over P495 million jackpot during Wednesday night’s draw.

In a text message, assistant general manager Liza Gabuyo of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said no one was able to correctly guess the six number combination of 53-09-45-24-50-29.

The prize reached P495,597,376.80, currently the record holder for the biggest lotto jackpot in PCSO history.

The next draw for the 6/55 Grand Lotto is on Saturday night. Gabuyo said the jackpot is expected to reach P535 million.\

Try your luck for the biggest jackpot in history, P535 Million (US$12.4 Million!) :)

Bettors use dreams, prayers to hit lotto jackpot of P535M

By Tina Santos
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:45:00 11/19/2010

Filed Under: Gaming & Lotteries, Casinos & Gambling, Belief (Faith), Religion & Belief

MANILA, Philippines—The thought of winning more than half a billion pesos in Saturday night’s 6/55 Grand Lotto has driven some people to prayer and others to superstitious practices.

Some, like Samuel dela Cruz, just rely on the power of dreams.

“There are times I get two to three correct numbers that I saw in my dreams,” the 67-year-old Dela Cruz, a frequent lotto bettor, told the Inquirer.

Not satisfied with what his dreams tell him, Dela Cruz has also consulted a Binondo feng shui expert who advised him to wear his favorite shirt when he goes to a lotto outlet to place his bet.

Biggest jackpot in PH lotto

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Thursday said it expected the Grand Lotto jackpot to reach P535 million on Saturday—the biggest jackpot in the history of the lottery in the Philippines.

The last time anyone won the 6/55 game was on May 12 this year when the pot amounted to P136.6 million, which went to a lone winner. There have been 81 draws since with no one hitting the jackpot, according to an Inquirer count.

Linda tries rosary

Dela Cruz, of Barangay Palanan, Makati City, will be wearing a yellow shirt when he puts his bet in the 82nd draw.

“According to a feng shui expert I consulted, it’s my lucky color and I should wear it whenever I gamble,” he said. “So I wear the same shirt every time I go to betting stations.”

Some bettors pick numbers in random. Many rely on numbers that have significance in their lives—numbers related to their ages, birthdays and other important dates.

Linda Oducayen, 45, a housemaid of a Chinese-Filipino family in Pasay City, prays harder these days.

“I don’t usually pray the rosary, but now I do, especially a few hours before I bet,” she said in Filipino when interviewed at a lotto station in Pasay. “I really want to win because this is the only way I know that could free my family from poverty.”

“Even if I work to death, I couldn’t give them a comfortable life, so I’m taking my chances on this,” she added.

Praying for miracle

Oducayen has remained single “by choice because I don’t need another mouth to feed.”

“But maybe if I win big, I’ll change my mind and get married immediately,” she said, laughing.

Merly Espejo, 47, of Makati City, said that apart from praying the novenas at the Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran, she also donates money to the church, hoping for a miracle when she bets.

A staffer in a Pasay City parish church said she had noticed that there were more people in church on the day of a draw.

“Many people really want to become rich in an instant but until now nobody has won. I guess it’s because some priests I know are praying that nobody wins,” said the staffer, who requested anonymity because she did not want to get into trouble.

She did not explain why a priest would say such a prayer.

Nothing wrong

Fr. Cris Magbitang, vice dean of studies at the Don Bosco Center of Studies in Parañaque City, however, said he saw nothing wrong with betting in the lottery.

He admitted that once in a while, he also placed bets on lotto, “just for fun or out of curiosity.”

Magbitang said he had made a bet twice on the Grand Lotto. Should he win, he intends to use the money to help people in need.

“It would be my way of paying back,” he said, recalling that the PCSO helped him in 2005 when he was operated on for a cataract and for lens implant on both of his eyes.

But he finds the practice of some people of having their lotto tickets blessed by a priest a bit too much.

God knows best

Asked if he thinks God listens to people who pray that they win lotteries, Magbitang said: “I believe that God listens to all our prayers. But whether he grants it is another story. Listening doesn’t mean granting.”

“God knows what is best for us. He knows our needs and He may have other ways for us to meet our needs, not necessarily through betting or gambling. Sometimes He responds through other channels,” he said.

Fr. Gil Alinsangan, the rector of St. Paul Seminary Foundation in Silang, Cavite, told the Inquirer: “God answers prayers. But his answer may not be what you want but what God wants for you.”

“If you have prayed to win the lotto but did not, God may be saying that winning the lotto may not be good for you and that he has another or a better way of answering your prayer,” Alinsangan said.

Right way, wrong way

Caloocan’s Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez looks at lotto differently.

Iñiguez, the chair of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ public affairs committee, said gambling was “incompatible with Christianity and invoking God for good luck is flawed.”

The bishop said he “understands” people praying to God to win the lotto but he frowns on bettors who reportedly rub their tickets on the images of saints, hoping it would bring them good fortune.

“There’s a right way of expressing spirituality and religious sentiments. It’s a defect,” Iñiguez told reporters.

Another way of praying

Websites of religious people offering prayers and healing services have been deluged with requests for prayers from bettors wanting to win.

The blog of Sister Raquel Reodica, of the Mother Ignacia Healing Ministry
, received a request from a woman who wanted God to make her win because she could not afford a surgical operation.

The nun’s advice: “Maybe it’s better to ask Him to help in your financial problem rather than making it very specific, like winning in lotto.” With reports from Jerome Aning and Inquirer Research
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20101119-304041/Bettors-use-dreams-prayers-to-hit-lotto-jackpot-of-P535M

http://www.appt.com/images/appt.jpg

Shangri-la's Mactan Resort, host of the 2010 APPT Cebu

Tucked in lush tropical landscape and with a crystalline coastline, Shangri-La's Mactan Resort and Spa, Cebu is the premier, award-winning deluxe resort property in the Philippines. Since its opening in October 1993, it has won acclaim from both domestic and international travelers for its spacious and well-appointed guestrooms and suites, the variety of dining, entertainment, sports and recreational activities offered in its paradise-like setting and as home to CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La, one of the largest spa villages in Asia.
http://www.appt.com/images/InfinityPool.jpg
http://www.appt.com/tournaments/cebu/

Young-Shin Im Wins APPT Cebu
11/18/2010

Korean poker player Young-Shin Im has outlasted a strong field at the recent APPT Cebu to claim a first place prize of $132,340. Young-Shin’s win signalled the first win by a female on the APPT for four years, but even more important than that she outlasted her boyfriend and fellow poker player, Kim Gap Young. The couple both made the final table but were never amongst the outsiders for the title when the first cards were dealt. They soon deified the bookies odds though and finished in first and third respectively.

The victory not only makes Young-Shin the first female winner on the APPT, it will also give her bragging right over her boyfriend who exited the tournament with almost $60,000. Despite the potential for domestic unrest the pair are delighted with the result, with Young-Shin stating: “I am very excited and happy to be the first female champion of the APPT. My boyfriend made third place, so I am of course also very happy for him.” The next stop for the APPT is Sydney Australia on December 7th where a healthy number of participants are expected to attend the $5600 event.
http://www.gamblingonlinemagazine.com/gambling-news-detail.php?articleID=2891

Grand Lotto Jackpot Prize is P574 Million!

Charity windfall from 6/55 Grand Lotto: P300-M
abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 11/22/2010 12:19 PM | Updated as of 11/22/2010 12:19 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Tonight may be the night that someone will win the biggest jackpot prize yet in lotto history – P574 million and counting for the 6/55 Grand Lotto.

When bettors are asked what they will do with the money in case they win, a common answer is, of course, a resounding: “I will give part of it to charity.”

There is the moral suasion to give part of that big loot to charity, but there is really no pressure on the winner of the more than half a billion peso prize.

It’s not called Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for nothing.

Every time a buyer gets a P20 ticket, 30% or around P6.50 of his or her bet already goes to charity.

In an interview with radio dzMM, PCSO assistant general manager Remiliza Gabuyo explained only 55% goes to the prize fund and 15% to PCSO operations.

Using as base the P574 million jackpot prize, estimates would show that the PCSO would already have roughly P300 million for charity.

Gabuyo said the winner will get all P574 million in one big haul, no more, no less. The prize is also tax-free, she said.

“Through cheque po yan. It’s not true [that the prize will be given in tranches],” she said.

The winner will also not have to worry about giving a chunk to the lotto operator.

Gabuyo said the winning outlet will have a commission of P500,000.

Security measures are also in place in order that the winner will be able to claim his or her prize, away from the prying and hungry eyes of thieves, she said.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/11/22/10/charity-windfall-655-grand-lotto-p300-m

^^ Na-jackpot na ba tonight?

Kung wala, you can now bet on all possible combination and still make a profit, P575M++ daw ang kailangan kasi :D

Grabe mahal at mahirap talaga ang 6/55 kaya wala pa rin nanalo kahapon. Bukas 600 million na iyan pero grabe na kung umabot pa iyan ng bilyon. Ako nga even though nakakatamad at nahihirapan sa pag-isip, may sinusundan akong pattern mula sa mga results nya e. Plano ko kapag manalo ako, mag-donate sa charity ng malaki.

^^ The best way to win the jackpot is to pool your bet money with your relatives or friends and make a system combination bet where the lotto computer picks up to a maximum of 924 possible combinations.

A ticket for the Grand Lotto costs only P20 but a player could play from system 7, which is worth P140, and the maximum system 12 with 924 combinations that will cost P18,480.


From Philstar (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=632633&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

---------

Bandila yesterday showed what you can do with P584M. You can place the 200M in a time deposit and earn 6M in interest a year.

Or you can buy your own private island once owned by Mr. Legacy scam boy Angeles in Iloilo (?) for P19M. Ayos na :D

Meron naman akong nabasa sa PDI, hindi sha nataya sa Grand Lotto, dun sa iba lang. Baka daw masiraan sha ng bait pag sha nanalo ng jackpot :D

Over P600-million lotto pot seen
By EDD K. USMAN
November 23, 2010, 7:12pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot, which has remained elusive for the past six months, is projected to reach P620 million in Wednesday’s draw, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said.

The PCSO, headed by Chairperson Margarita P. Juico, expressed hope that Wednesday's draw will already produce grand millionaires.

No one got the six-number winning combination last Monday – 22-25-17-50-19-37 – that carried the P584,829,925.20 prize.

PCSO's Grand Lotto prize that started at P30 million over six months ago and is projected to reach P620 million on draw night Wednesday has remained unyielding. Wednesday is the 83rd draw.

Juico said earlier she was hoping 100 would win the 6/55 bonanza to make many people happy as Christmas approaches.

As this developed, Juico met and spoke with Ricky Reyes, whose foundation manages Child Haus, half-way house for sick children.

A PCSO official who was at the meeting said it appeared the two have patched up their differences and agreed to continue working for the well being of the children.

PCSO officials stressed that lotto prizes are not subject to tax and the winners will get them in full or lump sum through checks as previous winners did.

They also assured the integrity of the lotto draws which are being witnessed and observed by non-PCSO government agencies and individuals.

After the win-less draw Monday evening, Liza Gabuyo, acting assistant general manager for PCSO's On-Line Lottery Department (OLLD), wished the betting public good luck.

“We hope that on Wednesday we already have grand millionaires,” said Gabuyo.

The Manila Bulletin spoke with two of the 111 bettors who got five of the six-winning combination in Grand Lotto's Nov. 20 draw. Each one is entitled to P150,000 for the correct five numbers.

One of them a 30-year-old male who gave his initials as J.D.V. said he was new in lotto betting and he had to ask for help as he placed his P20 bet that won him P150,000. He missed the number “18” from the Saturday winning combination of 18-17-36-04-40-13.

Another winner of P150,000 was a woman who did not give her name, but said he will be betting on the Grand Lotto again to have a chance at the enormous prize.

The Monday draw yielded 130 bettors who picked five of six-number winning combination.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/289149/over-p600million-lotto-pot-seen

‘Jueteng’ PCSO funds robber

Wednesday, 24 November 2010 00:00

Get rid of illegal numbers game now – official

By Llanesca T. Panti Reporter

Jueteng, an illegal numbers game, is siphoning off funds that should end up with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), an official said on Tuesday.
PCSO Chairman Margarita Juico made the statement during a public hearing of the House Committee on Good Government and Accountability on alleged jueteng payola being received by Cabinet members of President Benigno Aquino 3rd, namely Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa.

“The proliferation of the illegal numbers game has hampered our operations to the detriment of the people who are in much need of our medical and health assistance. We need to get rid of this as soon as possible,” Juico said.
Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz earlier revealed in a House hearing that Small Town Lottery (STL) remittances to the PCSO dipped in recent years because companies with STL franchises are also putting money in the jueteng business.

Cruz identified some of the franchisees as Pirouette Corp. (Quezon province), Lake Tahoe Gaming and Amusement Corp. (Angeles City, Pampanga), Sunset Bay Research and Marketing Corp. (Bataan), Ramloid Gaming Corp. (Laguna), Diamond Gaming and Research Center Corp. (Bulacan), Suncove Corp. (Pampanga) and Batangas Enhanced Technology Systems Inc.
STL also draws two winning numbers several times a day like jueteng, but it is legal because it is sanctioned by PCSO.

Cruz’s revelation was corroborated by Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management of the PNP during Tuesday’s hearing, saying that the police are having a hard time arresting jueteng operators because of their STL identification cards.

“We get confused on who to arrest. We can’t identify if the draw is for STL or for jueteng. We can arrest those who are collecting jueteng payoffs. But when they show us their STL IDs, we can’t do anything anymore. That’s the problem,” Taas pointed out in Filipino.

Based on PCSO records, the STL has accumulated P8.4 billion in sales since it started in 2006.

The STL sales, however, dropped to P1.9 billion in 2009 from P2.3 billion in 2008.

This scenario was a complete opposite of the 2006 to 2007 figures wherein STL’s sales shot up to P1.9 billion in 2007 from a mere P708 million in 2006.

During the hearing, whistleblower Sandra Cam warned that jueteng operations would escalate as the Christmas season neared.
Because of Cruz’s absence from the hearing, lawmakers moved that he be invited to the next hearing set for December 13 together with Puno and Verzosa.

The PCSO, however, would not give up on its STL initiative to combat jueteng.

“We have a contract with them [STL franchise holders] so we have to respect the legality of the agreement,” its general manager, Jose Ferdinand Rojas, said also on Tuesday.

Rojas was reacting to a suggestion of Rep. Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna party-list for the PCSO to suspend STL operations while the agency is evaluating the system.

The evaluation, set to be completed by December, would have determined which STL operators will have their license revoked because of involvement in jueteng and other illegal activities.

“It would be better if we start with a clean slate. It’s difficult to implement STL because there are already doubts on its operations,” Casiño pointed out.

But Rojas stood his ground, saying that proceeding with the STL operations would help the agency to determine which of the agent corporations were violating the law.

PCSO is yet to approve any new applications for STL franchises pending its evaluation of STL franchise holders at present.


[I] http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/top-stories/32882-jueteng-pcso-funds-robber

^^ The best way to win the jackpot is to pool your bet money with your relatives or friends and make a system combination bet where the lotto computer picks up to a maximum of 924 possible combinations.

A ticket for the Grand Lotto costs only P20 but a player could play from system 7, which is worth P140, and the maximum system 12 with 924 combinations that will cost P18,480.


From Philstar (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=632633&publicationSubCategoryId=63)

---------

Bandila yesterday showed what you can do with P584M. You can place the 200M in a time deposit and earn 6M in interest a year.

Or you can buy your own private island once owned by Mr. Legacy scam boy Angeles in Iloilo (?) for P19M. Ayos na :D

Meron naman akong nabasa sa PDI, hindi sha nataya sa Grand Lotto, dun sa iba lang. Baka daw masiraan sha ng bait pag sha nanalo ng jackpot :D

I use System 7 only at P140. Mind boggling P600 Million jackpot prize.

In the US and some parts of Europe, they have this scheme wherein all bettors pool for more chances of winning.

Solon seeks to put cap on lotto pot :lol:

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 15:07:00 11/24/2010

MANILA, Philippines – Saying that the over P600-million jackpot prize of lotto could turn Filipinos into gambling addicts, a lawmaker on Wednesday sought to put a cap on the winning prize and donate this to charitable institutions instead if not yet won.

The resolution filed by Eastern Samar Representative Ben Evardone also wants an explanation from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on “how this non-winner phenomenon has come about.”

In his resolution, Evardone said the PCSO “must set a limit to jackpot prize at stake at a maximum amount, say, P500,000,000, and if such maximum amount is not won or forfeited, it must be donated to orphanages and charitable institutions.”

“I think that 500 million is abnormally high that attracts hordes of non-gamblers…it’s driving people to gamble and gambling is addictive,” Evardone said in a separate text message when asked for the rationale of his resolution to limit the jackpot to P500 million.

Evardone, however, said that he is open to other suggestions about the amount during deliberations.

The lawmaker said that the huge pot prize resulted to “widespread compulsion to play” even among those who do not normally bet on lotto, which he said “runs counter to the PCSO vision to ‘uplift the quality of life of the Filipino people’.”

“It appears that, at any given draw, people are now compulsively playing a game in which the winning number combination may be unachievable,” he said.

Evardone said the PCSO should also disclose the total revenue it generated from the ticket sales of the 6/55 megalotto.

The grand prize for the 6/55 megalotto is said to breach the P600-million mark as no winner has been declared after 83 draws. The huge prize has driven many people to place their bets, which costs P20 per ticket.

I support his resolution. Yes the jackpot of 6/55 today is so big but to me it's too much. I too also think that PCSO should limit their jackpot because many people will be so greedy on betting only to win that huge amount.

Tonight's bonanza: P633M ++

Winning numbers:

4-41-40-42-45-55

P-Noy takes over PCSO
By Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star) Updated November 25, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (70) View comments



MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino yesterday took back control and supervision of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from the Department of Health, which was the arrangement during the time of his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Under Executive Order 14, Aquino said there is a “need of placing back to OP (Office of the President) the control and supervision over PCSO” to “ensure the effective implementation of his social agenda, and to effectively facilitate as well the health services and charity programs” of his office.

“One of the main objectives of the OP is to enhance the health services and charity programs to the public as well as to immediately respond to calamities, disaster relief and emerging illnesses,” a portion of the order read.

This developed as the jackpot for the 6/55 Grand Lotto on-line lottery draw of the PCSO last night reached more than P600 million, the biggest jackpot in the country’s lotto history.

In the single-page order, Aquino said that he has the power to transfer functions of line agencies by virtue of the Administrative Code of 1987, which authorizes the President to “transfer agencies to the OP from other departments or agencies.”

Arroyo, who is now a Pampanga congresswoman, issued in November 2004 Executive Order 383, transferring PCSO’s jurisdiction to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and in August 2005 EO 455 that transferred this over to the health department.

Under PCSO’s original charter (RA 1169), however, such power belonged to the OP.

PCSO, which takes charge of the country’s lotto operations, is the principal government agency in charge of raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

With the official transfer, the direct control and supervision over the PCSO is automatically transferred from the Department of Health to the OP.

PCSO website temporary shut down

The official website of the PCSO www. pcso.gov.ph had temporarily shut down since last week after the agency transferred to a new office building, even as bettors trying to access the PCSO website increased since the jackpot of the 6/55 Grand Lotto on-line lottery draw breached P500 million.

In a notice to the public, the PCSO said the agency’s website that releases lotto draw results on the Internet and also provides email service will temporarily be offline due to the transfer of the PCSO MIS Data Center to their new office at the Philippine International Convention Center, CCP Complex in Pasay City.

PCSO officials, however, assured the public that the nationwide lotto network that connects all lotto terminals to the PCSO main office is not affected and is operating normally.

People trying to access the official PCSO website to get the results of the Grand Lotto draw have increased since the jackpot breached half a billion pesos.

“We shall try our best to make the lotto game results search engine, IMAP follow-up and email service online return to normal as soon as possible when our Data Center is fully operational in our new office at the PICC,” the statement said.

The website also releases the lotto draw results, including the number of winners of each of the various lotto draws.

PCSO sources said more bettors have placed their bets for the Grand Lotto draw last night after the jackpot was estimated to hit P620 million after nobody got the winning combination 22-25-17-50-19-37 in last Monday’s Grand Lotto draw with a jackpot of P584, 899, 925.20.

The jackpot of the Grand Lotto last night was the biggest in the history of the PCSO’s on-line lottery that has triggered a nationwide frenzy, with more people joining the long lines at lotto outlets nationwide.

The winner of the Grand Lotto could take home the full amount of the over P600-million jackpot tax free, a PCSO official said.

“If you win you can get your winnings to the last centavo,” the source said.

PCSO chairman Margie Juico said in a recent television interview that they are planning to pay in installment the jackpot prize.

Lotto players have opposed the proposal of Juico.

The Grand Lotto draw is now the most popular in the country since the on-line lottery game was launchedin 1995. The other lotto games include the Regular Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, and the EZ2 games.

Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone filed a resolution directing the House committee on games and amusements to investigate “the rationale of the system, play rules and conduct of the mega lotto draws, and its widespread effect on people to compulsively play the game, and recommend appropriate legislation.”

“The unimaginable jackpot prize and wide media coverage have resulted in record number of people playing the mega-lotto,” Evardone said.

“Widespread compulsion to play, including people who normally would not engage in gambling, tends to run counter to the PCSO vision to uplift the quality of life of the Filipino people.”

He said not one ticket sold has matched the winning number combination after 83 lottery draws, with almost every possible pick of number combination being sold.

“It appears that, at any given draw, people are now compulsively playing a game in which the winning number combination may be ‘unachievable’,” he said.

Evardone said the PCSO should explain how this no-winner phenomenon has come about.

The PCSO must disclose the total amount of revenue generated by ticket sales, he said.

“The PCSO must set a limit to the jackpot prize at stake at a maximum amount, say P500 million, and if such maximum amount is not won or forfeited, it must be donated to orphanages and charitable institutions,” Evardone said.

House Deputy Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, however, did not agree with the proposal to put a cap on the jackpot.

“The higher (the prize), the better. I think it’s not just the prize, it’s the excitement,” Suarez said, as he admitted he has been playing the lotto in the last two weeks. With Paolo Romero, Perseus Echeminada

PCSO: No rigging of 6/55 Lotto results :lol:

abs-cbnNEWS.com
Posted at 11/25/2010 10:16 AM | Updated as of 11/25/2010 10:18 AM

MANILA, Philippines - A state gaming official rejected Thursday speculation that the 6/55 Grand Lotto is rigged after no one won last night's P633 million jackpot.

Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), said his office is pushing for greater transparency of the lotto draws because of the size of the lotto pot. He said he expects the jackpot to hit at least P685 million for next draw on Saturday night.

Starting Friday, the lotto draws will be done in a room with glass walls at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Lotto draws are also aired live on the government-owned National Broadcasting Network. Before the winning combinations are drawn, all balls bearing the numbers are weighed, which is witnessed by representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry.

"Meron tayong mga observers. All can go to [watch the] lotto draw. Nandiyan ang Commission on Audit from a few hours before the draw up to the actual draw. Open and transparent sa maraming tao," Rojas told radio dzMM.

No limiting jackpot prize

The PCSO official also rejected a proposal by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone to limit the lotto jackpot to P500 million and just donate the prize to charitable institutions if nobody wins.

Rojas said that before the resolution is approved by Congress, it should pass through a public hearing and consultations with stakeholders.

He said that the law provides that the lotto jackpot prize should be limitless.

Evardone earlier said the resolution seeks to arrest the growing culture of gambling among Filipinos. He said the higher the pot, the more people are enticed to try their luck.

Rojas said the chances of winning the lotto jackpot is one of 28.9 million. To ensure the win, you would have to spend P580 million to place bets on all 28.9 million combinations.

However, he noted: "As the pot gets bigger, the probability of having a winner or more than one winner becomes greater because there are more people trying to get a wager on the draw."

"Kapag tinayaan mo lahat iyan, puwedeng more than one winner."

Under Office of the President

Meanwhile, Rojas denied rumors that the Office of the President is interested in taking a piece of the highest lotto jackpot prize.

These rumors came up after Malacañang issued Executive Order No. 14, which reverts control of the PCSO from the Department of Health to the Office of the President.

Rojas said that it was just a coincidence, adding that he and PCSO Chairwoman Margarito Juico have been working on placing the agency back under the supervision of the Office of the President since they were appointed to their positions.

PCSO welcomes return to OP; Rojas opposes lotto prize cap
EDD K. USMAN
November 25, 2010, 6:16pm

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) through General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II Thursday welcomed the return of the PCSO under the Office of the President after a long while, saying it was the right thing to do.

Rojas told the Manila Bulletin in an interview at his office at the Secretariat Building of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) that "it is only valid and just proper that balik-kami sa OP (we return to OP)."

He recalled that PCSO was originally under OP's direct supervision and control as stipulated by the law creating the government charitable agency, Republic Act 1169.

R.A. 1169 was put into law on June 18, 1954 which provides for the holding of charity sweepstakes and lotteries. Since then PCSO has become the government's reliable national arm in providing funds for health and medical assistance and other welfare activities and projects.

On Nov. 19 President Benigno S. Aquino III issued Executive Order No. 14 which reclaimed supervision and control of the PCSO under his office.

Aquino said this was to "ensure the effective implementation of the social agenda of the President."

The President's EO cited PCSO as "the principal government agency in charge of raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character."

The then President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria M. Arroyo put the PCSO under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through EO 383 issued in 2004, then later transferred PCSO to the Department of Health (DoH) via EO 455 in 2005.

Rojas said DSWD and DoH are the alter-egos of the President that have their own mandates, respectively.

Thus, it is only right that PCSO is now under OP again, he said. "Being under the Office of the President is a very welcome development," said Rojas.

"PCSO Chairperson Margarita P. Juico and I have been planning to return the agency's supervision and control to OP," the PCSO general manager said.

As this developed, Rojas opposed the idea of limiting the lotto jackpot to P500 million, saying this is not how the PCSO regulations on lotteries work.

Rojas was referring to Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone's suggestion to put a cap to lotto prizes at P500 million and give the amount to charity if there is no winner.

The solon reacted to the ballooning prize of Grand Lotto 6/55 now at P633.91 million and still growing.

First, Rojas said, the PCSO already has provisions for its Charity Fund from the lotto bets: For every P1 bet, P0.30 go to the Charity Fund, P0.55 for the Prize Fund, and P0.15 going to the Operating Fund.

Second, he said if there is a move to cap the lotto prize or a bill to be filed, then there should first be a consultation with the stakeholders, such as the PCSO, the betting public, among others.

He said he does not believe that lotto patrons will approve of the lotto prize cap. "It is their money they are going to win," the PCSO official said.

Rojas invited the lotto patrons to place their bets as the Grand Lotto prize for the Saturday draw could reach P680 million or more.

"Sa mga tumataya, nakakatulong na sila, meron pang tsansang manalo (To the bettors, they have a chance to win while helping in charity)," he said. (Edd K. Usman)


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/289446/pcso-welcomes-return-op-rojas-opposes-lotto-prize-cap-edd-k-usman

Malacañang takes control of P7.8b in ‘charity’ funds :ohno:

Manila Standard Today
by Joyce Pangco Pañares
November 25, 2010

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has transferred the control and supervision of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office from the Health Department to the Office of the President, hence giving the Palace quick access to billions of pesos in charity funds.

An executive order said the transfer was needed “to effectively facilitate the health services and charity programs of the Office of the President.”

The Charity Office raises money through the popular computerized lotto numbers game. It is the main government agency in charge of raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of a national character.

The agency’s former chairman, Manuel Morato, says its annual income is about P26 billion, and of that 30 percent or P7.8 billion goes to a social fund to help the poor who need medical treatment. The agency also has an intelligence budget of P10 million to P20 million that the chairman can spend at his discretion.

Morato says it would be “ill-advised” to ease the Health Department out of the agency’s board.

“The [Health] secretary knows which hospitals need ambulances and can coordinate directly with the hospitals as far as indigent patients are concerned,” he said.

The Charity Office was originally under the control and supervision of the Office of the President, but it was transferred to the Social Welfare Department in 2004 and then to the Health Department in 2005 during the Arroyo administration.

“One of the main objectives of the Office of the President is to enhance the health services and charity programs to the public as well as to immediately respond on calamities, disasters... and emerging illnesses,” the executive order says.

The President on Wednesday also abolished the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission and transferred the agency’s investigative powers to Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Ronaldo Geron.

Mr. Aquino said abolishing the commission was in keeping with his administration’s policy of streamlining the bureaucracy. An investigative and adjudicatory division would be created under Geron’s office, he said.

Geron said his office had already received more than 500 pending graft and corruption cases from the past administration.

“We will investigate these cases,” he said in a telephone interview.

“The only officials who are excluded from our mandate are Cabinet secretaries because they are covered by the Cabinet-level Committee of Peers.”

Geron said his office will decide whether to keep some 18 contractual staff from the commission, which was one of 10 agencies under the Office of the President that did not receive funding for next year.

“The PAGC is an example of the kind of redundancies we want to eliminate in government to allow us to better allocate our limited resources,” Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said.

“It doesn’t make sense to have two or more government offices do the same thing.” With Christine F. Herrera

No cap on Grand Lotto jackpot – PCSO exec
By EDD K. USMAN
November 29, 2010, 5:51pm

MANILA, Philippines – The jackpot winner of any lotto game will receive the prize lock, stock, and barrel "or we will lose our credibility."

This was stressed by Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office-Publicity and Public Relations Department (PCSO-PPRD) Manager Manuel “Manny” Garcia in the wake of calls to put a cap on the jackpot prize after the Grand Lotto pot breached P500 million.

“We can't change the rules, especially the prize of Grand Lotto which is now very big,” Garcia said.

The Grand Lotto jackpot was expected to hit P738 million in last night’s draw.

Garcia said the varied opinions at the PCSO on the move to put a cap on jackpot prize will not affect the agency, stressing that unless the law is changed then the limitless prize will continue.

While Garcia is against putting a cap on the jackpot, which was first suggested by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, PCSO Chairperson Margarita P. Juico favors the move.

Juico is also open to giving the lottery prizes on a staggered basis because the winner may not be able to handle well his or her winnings.

Evardone’s suggestion has stirred discussion in some quarters.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. supports Evardone’s idea, citing that half-a-billion-peso prize is already “life-altering.”

But former Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz described Evardone's suggestion as “silly and contrary to logic.”

At the PCSO, Juico said she opened up discussion informally with the Board in one of their meetings. The members of the PCSO Board of Directors are Betty Nantes, Mabel Mamba, Ma. Aleta Tolentino, and Francisco Joaquin III.

She admitted that several of her fellow PCSO officials do not favor the cap.

Juico said she made the suggestion to the Board because she was worried of the winner in case the enormous Grand Lotto prize is won.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II on Thursday also rejected putting a cap to lotto jackpot. The PCSO regulations do not work like that, he said, referring to the agency's Charter that allows limitless lotto prize.

Garcia also clarified that the return of the agency under the Office of the President has nothing to do with Grand Lotto 6/55's huge jackpot.

He said that as early as July, Juico wrote Malacañang and asked that the agency be put under OP as it used to be.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/290097/no-cap-grand-lotto-jackpot-pcso-exec

Somebody from Luzon is P741,176,323.20 richer tonight. Whew!

---

Natatawa ako sa mga tao sa Twitter. Philippine population daw ay 91,983,102, kung makakapagbigay lang daw ng P1M each to all Filipinos, wala na daw magiging mahirap. Hahahaha

:lol:

Somebody from Luzon is P741,176,323.20 richer tonight. Whew!

---

Natatawa ako sa mga tao sa Twitter. Philippine population daw ay 91,983,102, kung makakapagbigay lang daw ng P1M each to all Filipinos, wala na daw magiging mahirap. HahahahaMagaling sa math ang nagsabi niyan. Grabe! :lol::bash:

Kailang mo ng 91,983,102,000,000 para mabigyan lahat ng 1 million.

Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office to introduce new games for more revenue
By EDD K. USMAN
December 28, 2010, 7:19pm

MANILA, Philippines — As New Year 2011 is nearing, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) plans to introduce more games and also revive the traditional sweepstakes to earn more revenues for its more vigorous reaching out to the country's poorest of the poor.

Rojas said the PCSO "is open to adopting or introducing new lottery games" and will also be reviving the traditional sweepstakes draw, which for years have been the main source of revenue.

The PCSO official said to strengthen revenue-making effort, the "PCSO priority will be to enhance and strengthen our existing national lotto games and STL (Small Town Lottery/Loterya ng Bayan); and at the same time undertake new lottery activities."

Rojas added that because of the successful and record-breaking special sweepstakes draw on Dec. 19, which earned P9 million, the government agency will be reviving the traditional sweepstakes.

The bigger part of the proceeds from the special draw will go to the Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind, Inc., for an Ambulant Eye Clinic it planned to have.

"With the revival of the traditional sweepstakes, there also will be more workers," said Rojas.

Manuel Garcia, PCSO-Publicity and Public Relations Department (PCSO-PPRD) manager, cited the PCSO's authority that allows it to organize and carry out charity sweepstakes races, lotteries and other activities of the same kind.

Garcia said the PCSO will continue its programs and projects for the millions of Filipinos who have no one to turn to for help, but the state-sponsored charity agency.

Much earlier, PCSO under Chairperson Margarita P. Juico noticed that poor and indigent Filipinos in non-urban areas or regions of the country received only very small of the agency's charity funds in previous management.

Juico said that because of this big disparity, where the poor in non-poor urban areas got much of the PCSO assistance, the agency would be focusing more its medical and health programs to the least served areas and regions of the country.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/295268/philippine-charity-sweepstake-office-introduce-new-games-more-revenue

PCSO's 1st millionaire for 2011 grabs P61 million
By EDD K. USMAN
January 5, 2011, 7:33pm

MANILA, Philippines – A lucky on-line lottery bettor by his lonesome became the first instant millionaire in 2011 of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for winning the P61,313,194.80 jackpot of Super Lotto 6/49 in the draw Tuesday night at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Manuel C. Garcia, manager of the Publicity and Public Relations Department of the PCSO (PCSO-PPRD), said the winner, who has not yet come forward as of press time, is the PCSO's first millionaire in 2011 through the lotto games.

Garcia said the winner bought the winning ticket -- 26-20-22-18-11-10 -- from Quick Stop Convenience Store on Gil Puyat Ave., Pasay City.

The winner hit the jackpot as the Super Lotto's prize was slowly increasing, unlike the Grand Lotto 6/55's pot which has not yet been picking up after a solo bettor grabbed the enormous P741.176 million in the draw on Nov. 29, 2010.

Arnel Casas, manager of the Central Operations Department of the Philippine Sweepstakes Office (PCSO-COD), said Grand Lotto had a mere P41 million in the draw on Monday, a slight increase from the initial P30 million on Dec. 1.

Casas said that this has always been the case. "Lotto bettors tend to bet more when they see the jackpot gaining grounds," he said.

In the case of Grand Lotto from May 15 to Nov. 29 last year, he said bettors started to create a frenzy after the prize breached the P200 million.

After that, Casas said, millions more placed their bets until the pot reached over P741 million.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/296810/pcsos-1st-millionaire-2011-grabs-p61-million

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Philippines can become ‘major’ gaming hub in region

The Philippines has the potential to become a “major” gaming hub in the Asia-Pacific region and grow its gaming market to about $1.2 billion by 2015 as more privately run casinos start operations, a research by global professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said.

In a recent report, PwC estimated that casino gaming revenues in the Philippines fell by 5.9 percent in 2010 but were rebounding this 2011 to hit a full-year growth of 10.8 percent.

The report said the Philippines already had a “vibrant” casino gaming market and projected that new casinos would propel spending at a 16.9-percent compounded annual rate to $1.2 billion in 2015, making this country a major gaming area as well.

Read more here (http://business.inquirer.net/33947/philippines-can-become-%E2%80%98major%E2%80%99-gaming-hub-in-region)

dapat hindi lang sa mga major cities sa bansa magkaroon ng mga gaming hubs maging sa ibang potential provinces.

Kailang mo ng 91,983,102,000,000 para mabigyan lahat ng 1 million.

^^
:dj:lakas ng trip ng taong un:lol:

Philippines can become ‘major’ gaming hub in region



Read more here (http://business.inquirer.net/33947/philippines-can-become-%E2%80%98major%E2%80%99-gaming-hub-in-region)



key words jan ay "can become" kasi... gaming hub nga kaya sabi sa dzrh yung ilang casino ng pagcor tulad ng casino sa heritage hotel ay magsasara na sa 2012 kasi malaki na ang nalulugi. :lol: paging, pagcor...

key words jan ay "can become" kasi... gaming hub nga kaya sabi sa dzrh yung ilang casino ng pagcor tulad ng casino sa heritage hotel ay magsasara na sa 2012 kasi malaki na ang nalulugi. :lol: paging, pagcor...

I think its becuase there are new places now where you can gamble, dine, shop, relax and more in one place. That's the price we have to pay for creating entertainment complexes. But I think its good. Businessmen should be more creative now given that competition is becoming really tough.

Cockfights in casinos broached in Senate

By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
3:08 pm | Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

MANILA, Philippines—Bringing “sabong” or cockfights inside the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporations (Pagcor) casinos has been brought up during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

No less than Pacgor president and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat mentioned about the cockfight during the hearing of the Senate committee on games and amusement on the state of the games and amusement promotion in the country.

“There were talks about the sabong (cockfight) that will be telecast in our casinos para doon ang betting sa loob ng casino (so that the betting will be done inside the casino),” Naguiat said responding to committee chairman, Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr., when asked about other games being run by the state gaming firm. He did not elaborate.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/125811/cockfights-in-casinos-broached-in-senate

^^
madami kayang matutuwa tungkol dito:?

In my opinion magiging cheapo na lang ang hitsura ng mga casinos natin if that happens. Saka aangal ang mga animal rights group nyan for sure.

Philippine casino market to double by 2015 — PwC
by Karen Joyce Q. Ang

THE PHILIPPINES has the potential to become a major gambling hub in Asia Pacific as the country’s gaming revenues are likely to double to $1.2 billion in 2015, according to professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

In its latest “Global Gaming Outlook,” PwC said that while revenues dropped by 5.9% to $558 million in 2010, a 10.8% growth to $618 million was expected for 2011.

Double-digit growth was also seen in the succeeding years - 16.3% to $719 million this year, 30.9% to $941 million in 2013, about 17.1% to $1.1 billion in 2014, and 10.4% to $1.2 billion in 2015.

“The Philippines already has a vibrant casino gaming market and new casinos in that country will propel spending at 16.9% compound annual rate to $1.2 billion in 2015, making that country a major gaming area as well,” PwC said.

“Belle Corp.’s planned complex in Manila Bay is expected to open in 2013, although the project has experienced a number of delays,” it noted.



http://www.bworldonline.com/Research/economicindicators.php?id=0532

^^
madami kayang matutuwa tungkol dito:?

In my opinion magiging cheapo na lang ang hitsura ng mga casinos natin if that happens. Saka aangal ang mga animal rights group nyan for sure.

Based on the reports, only the betting will be done inside the casinos but the actual cockfights will still be at the usual locations.

For me, this is a good REVENUE enhancer. More income to PAGCOR.

Philippine casino market to double by 2015 — PwC
by Karen Joyce Q. Ang



http://www.bworldonline.com/Research/economicindicators.php?id=0532

Philippines as a major gaming center in Asia, that's cool for me. More jobs, investments, more money for the country. PH needs to be prosperous and affluent again!

PAGCOR revenues hit record-setting P36B:banana:

Published : Friday, January 20, 2012 00:00
Article Views : 208
Written by : SAMMY MARTIN REPORTER

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (PAGCOR) on Thursday disclosed that the firm’s total revenues last year reached a whopping P36.65 billion, a P5.19 billion or 16.52% growth compared to its total income of P31.46 billion in 2011.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr. noted that “2011 was truly a record-setting year for PAGCOR. We were able to break our monthly income record six times during the year, and we posted the highest winnings record twice in PAGCOR’s own gaming operations.”

http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/nation/15387-pagcor-revenues-hit-record-setting-p36b

Based on the reports, only the betting will be done inside the casinos but the actual cockfights will still be at the usual locations.

For me, this is a good REVENUE enhancer. More income to PAGCOR.

If thats the case that's ok, they can also include horse race betting or even dog races if we ever have one.

Saang casino sa Pilipinas ang may slot machine na ito:

Hot Shots Progressive by Bally Slots
http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles20/284066/projects/882632/4c541abba8b40bd2ae921007c185d413.jpg

Wala kasi ito sa Resorts World Manila

Pero afaik
May nagsabi na meron daw ito sa Hyatt Hotel Casino (sa may Ermita-Pedro Gil malapit sa RP).

Saan pa ba meron ito? Thanks :)

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/7155/manilabayunifiedtourism.jpg
Image showing tourist attractions along the bay area. Any other attractions missing and worth adding?

Belle’s $750-M Manila Bay complex on track :banana: :cheers:

by Miguel R. Camus | Business Mirror | Monday |23 January 2012 | 18:18

PROPERTY developer Belle Corp. remains on track to open its $750-million gaming complex in the Manila Bay reclamation project early next year, with the builder recently celebrating the ceremonial completion of its six hotel towers-considered a key requirement by the state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor).

Belle Vice Chairman Willy Ocier said the hotels would offer the equivalent of 828 hotel rooms, or above the 800-rooms Pagcor requires before allowing Belle and other developers to open their respective casino facilities.

“We just topped off on all six hotel towers of Belle Grande and Casino Resort,”Ocier said in a text message. “We will start doing piling works on our BGX Entertainment Complex before month-end.”

Upon completion, Belle Grande will have over 250,000 square meters (sq.m) of gross floor area, including 17,000 sq.m of gaming space and more than 20,000 sq.m of retail and restaurant facilities, it said in a previous disclosure.

Read More: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/22310-belles-750-m-manila-bay-complex-on-track