PAGCOR Unveils Biggest Christmas Gift for Public School Students with P2-billion Additional Funding for Its School Building Program

The country’s public education sector received one of the biggest Christmas presents from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) this year after the agency gave an additional P2 billion for the construction of more classrooms in public schools nationwide.

The additional P2-billion brings PAGCOR’s total funding for the Matuwid na Daan Sa Silid-Aralan schoolbuilding program to a staggering P12 billion.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr. formally turned-over the additional allocation to Education (DepEd) Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro and Secretary Rogelio Singson of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on December 14, 2015. The event was witnessed by no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III.pine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) during the 10th day of the agency’s Pamaskong Handog 2015.

In his speech, the President lauded PAGCOR for its significant contributions to the public education sector and to nation-building. Nais kong magpasalamat sa PAGCOR sa pangunguna ni Chairman Bong Naguiat. Mula sa panahon na itinapon ang maraming pera para sa mamahaling kape, ngayon po ay talagang sa makabuluhang proyekto napupunta ang pera na ahensya…sa loob lamang ng maiksing panahon, nagawa na nating ayusin at pagandahin ang ating bayan na tinuturing nating tahanan,” he said.

Both the DepEd and DPWH are PAGCOR’s partners in the school building program. DepEd identifies the schools with severe classroom shortage, DPWH constructs the school buildings and PAGCOR provides the funding for the project.

Chairman Naguiat said the additional P2-billion for the Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan project will further widen the project’s reach. Just last April 2015, the state-run gaming agency also released P3 billion for the school building program. “All public school students especially those living in remote communities nationwide must have access to comfortable learning facilities. Quality education is the greatest gift that we can give them. By helping our government build sturdier classrooms for the youth, PAGCOR became instrumental in shaping their future. This is also one of the best Christmas presents that we can offer them,” he said.

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson also cited that PAGCOR’s additional funding for the schoolbuilding project only shows how the government values the education of the Filipino youth. “This additional P2-billion will help provide more comfortable learning venues to thousands of public school students. Hopefully, through this program, we can continue to inspire the Filipino youth to study well, realize their full potential and eventually do their part in building a better nation someday,” he said.

The turn-over of the P2-billion additional funding for the school building program coincided with PAGCOR’s grand Christmas party for 3,100 street sweepers, members of the tricycle drivers and operators associations (TODA) and senior citizens from Quezon City. These sectors were PAGCOR’s beneficiaries during the 11th day of its Pamaskong Handog 2015.

House Speaker and former Quezon City Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” R. Belmonte, Jr., Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte also graced the grand Christmas celebration for Quezon City’s disadvantaged sectors.

PAGCOR allocated P6.43 million for the event. Of this amount, P5.7 million was used to purchase noche buena gift packs containing ham, cheese, pasta noodles, cookies and other grocery items for the beneficiaries.

According to Chairman Naguiat, it is part of the agency’s tradition to spread Christmas cheers to the marginalized sectors of society during the yuletide season. “Masaya po kami sa PAGCOR na makapag-bahagi ng kasiyahan sa iba’t-ibang sektor ng ating lipunan sa tuwing Kapaskuhan. Mas naging espesyal po ang araw na ito dahil nagsama-sama ang iba’t-ibang grupo gaya ng street sweepers, mga miyembro ng TODA at senior citizens dito sa Quezon City sa isang pagtitipon.”

Naguiat added that the presence of President Aquino made the event more meaningful. “We are very thankful that the President graced this memorable gathering today. Since PAGCOR launched its Pamaskong Handog project in 2010, President Aquino has always found time to join us in spreading happiness to less privileged Filipinos.”

Annabel Fercon, 37, a street sweeper in Kamuning is one of the thousands of Quezon City locals who joined the festive Christmas party. The mother of four, who is the sole breadwinner of her family, is grateful because her job as a street sweeper enables her to send her children to school with her monthly income of P4,800.

“Malaking tulong po ang trabaho kong ito dahil ito ang pinangtu-tustos ko sa pangangailangan ng aking pamilya. Wala ding trabaho ang aking asawa. Dati, naglalako ako ng mga pabango pero ng mawalan na ng puhunan, ito na ang pinagkukunan namin ng kabuhayan,” Fercon narrated.

Fercon added that since her duty as a street sweeper starts at 2 a.m. until 7a.m., she could do other part-time jobs and earn extra income. But even with extra jobs, she finds it hard to make both ends meet. This is the reason why she considers PAGCOR’s gift as a big blessing. “Dahil po sa mga Pamasko ninyo, may maihahanda na kaming masarap ngayong Pasko,” she said.

PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog 2015 also benefited indigent and homeless families; orphaned and abandoned children; underprivileged kids with congenital heart disease; children with mental retardation, autism and multiple disabilities; the elderly; cultural minorities; abused and disadvantaged women; barangay health workers; disaster volunteers, among others.

PAGCOR allocated P25.35 million for the project which started last November 27 and will culminate on December 22. It will benefit close to 10,000 less fortunate Filipinos under the care of 33 charitable institutions nationwide.

Source: www.pagcor.ph