In reversal of roles, legislators ask Pagcor for money

Pagcor chair Cristino Naguiat: Reversed role

MANILA, Philippines—Like bees to honey.

The top honchos of the state-run gambling firm showed up Thursday at the House of Representatives as it was deliberating the proposed 2014 national budget—only to be swarmed by congressmen seeking a slice of the agency’s revenue pie.

Unlike officials of other government agencies, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) executives did not come seeking funding approval from Congress, at least two House members noted.

With its projected 2013 revenue of P42.9 billion expected to rise by P2.57 billion next year, the Pagcor officials attracted a number of congressmen to their side who wanted to know how to bring agency-funded projects to their districts.

“If I may throw a curve ball, what are you doing here?” House Deputy Speaker Giorgidi Aggabao jokingly asked the Pagcor contingent, led by chair Cristino Naguiat and president Jorge Sarmiento.

“It turns out that you’re not asking for money,” he said in Filipino. “It appears that we are the ones who would be asking for money.”

Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo was more blunt: “The reason they (congressmen) are here is to get funds from you.”

Legislators asked about Pagcor’s “contributions to [the] nation-building” program, which includes a P7-billion classroom construction project carried out jointly with the Department of Education and Department of Public Works and Highways.

The lawmakers also found attractive a program that converts “old slot machine stands into school desks” and “manufactures school desks from confiscated logs.”

Such projects, and a few more, are funded under Pagcor’s “contributions to [the] nation-building” program, which totaled P20.9 billion last year and is projected to rise to P22 billion this year. This is expected to increase further to P23.5 billion in 2014.

Castelo suggested to the gaming executives an “equitable, democratic and fair distribution of the income generated by Pagcor among all congressional districts,” citing “a proven fact that all patrons of the Pagcor-run casinos are not exclusively from the host cities.”

“When one of our constituents loses at those Pagcor [casinos], we have to offset their losses,” he said.

Sarmiento rejected the idea, however, saying the agency’s annual budget had specific allocations under the law.

“But nevertheless, we will coordinate with the chair of [the] appropriations [committee] on how to have an equitable or balanced deployment of our funds, taking into consideration the governing laws, like our charter,” he said.

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