Pagcor kicks off gift-giving project for children with disabilities

Children with disabilities were  the first  beneficiaries of this year’s “Pamaskong Handog” gift-giving project of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) that kicked off Friday.

The state-run agency allocated P21 million for the project this year.

Pagcor Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr. said the agency’s 12 days of gift-giving will run from November 27 to December 17.  It will benefit 10,000 less fortunate Filipinos under the care of 33 charitable institutions nationwide.

Naguiat said reaching out to the less privileged sectors of society has always been one of the core commitments of  the agency as it is doing its share in building a better nation.

“The main objective of the Pamaskong Handog project is to give help to those who need it most. It is also a great opportunity for Pagcor to partake in spreading love to the neglected sectors of society during the Yuletide season,”  he said  in a statement.

Pagcor’s Assistant VP for Corporate Communications Maricar Bautista, who graced the kick-off ceremony for this year’s gift-giving project, said the Pamaskong Handog is one of the state-owned gaming agency’s creative ways of giving back to society.

“This event which started in December 2010 is one of Pagcor’s important Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs under its current management.”

During the first day of its gift-giving project, close to 500 special education (Sped) students of Pasay City Sped Center (PCSEC) housed in the P. Villanueva Elementary School in Pasay City were chosen as beneficiaries of the said project.

The beneficiaries, composed of intellectually gifted children, children with disabilities such as autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, hearing, speech, visual and physical impairment, together with their teachers, were treated by Pagcor to a fun-filled Christmas party, receiving 500 Christmas gift packs.

“We are grateful to Pagcor for choosing our students as recipients of this special Christmas treat,” said Marieta Garino, Master Teacher of the Sped program.

“What I love about these children—napaka-genuine ng mga pagkatao nila (their personalities are truly genuine). They have no pretentions and they express what they feel. Hence, seeing them truly happy is priceless,” Garino said.

The PCSEC is also known as one of the two biggest Sped institutions in Metro Manila with the most number of enrollees.

“Although our funding comes solely from the government, we are lucky to have special facilities and programs that cater to special children. These are not yet available to most Sped schools in the country that’s why we accommodate as much Sped enrollees as we can,”  said Garino, who has been with the Sped center for 15 years now.

PCSEC Principal Lea Marcelo also expressed gratitute for Pagcor officials and employees who were present during the event.

“Ang araw na ito ay magmamarka sa isipan ng aming  mga kabataan. Itong Pamaskong Handog ay isa sa mga paraan para maramdaman ng ating special students that they are very much welcome here and that we accept them. Ito ay makakatulong para ganahan silang mag-aral dahil nararamdaman nila na marami ang sumusuporta sa kanila,” she said.

(This day marks in the mind of our students. This Pamaskong Handog is one of the ways to let the special students feel that they are very much welcome here and that we accept them. This will help in a way that they will strive for their studies because they feel that many are supporting them.)

Aside from being the first recipient of the Christmas gift-giving activity this year, Marcelo also lauded Pagcor for its relentless support to their school.

“Nagpapa-salamat din kami sa Pagcor dahil for two years, nag-benefit kami sa Feeding Program nila. Natulungan din nila kami through the Brigada Eskwela. They helped make the learning environment of our students more conducive for learning by participating in clean-up activities,” she added.

(We also thank Pagcor because for two years, we benefit from their Feeding Program. They were also able to help us through the Brigada Eskwela. They helped make the learning environment of our students more conducive for learning by participating in clean-up activities.)

Department of Education’s Chief Education Program Supervisor Irene Tonel, who likewise graced the event, lauded Pagcor for bringing Christmas cheers to Sped students and for its support to education.

“We are very happy that Pagcor is heavily investing in the education of Pasay’s youth. The agency built school buildings at the Jose Rizal Elementary School (JRES) and Pasay City East High School (PCEHS) which are a big help to us. The one at PCEHS will greatly help the institution in the implementation of its Senior High School under the K-12 Program,” Tonel said.

Apart from the Sped students in PCSEC, Pagcor said it will also reach out to indigent and homeless families; orphaned and abandoned children; underprivileged kids with congenital heart disease; children with mental retardation, autism and multiple disabilities; the elderly; the disabled and physically handicapped; cultural minorities; abused and disadvantaged women; barangay (village) health workers and disaster volunteers and street sweepers. RAM

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