Funding Earmarked for Repatriation Costs
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has committed PHP 50 million ($890,000) to help the Bureau of Immigration (BI) deport foreign workers employed by illegal offshore gaming operators.
On June 30, both agencies formalized the agreement at PAGCOR’s Pasay City headquarters. The partnership aims to expedite the repatriation of foreign nationals detained at BI facilities who can’t afford to return home.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco explained, “These individuals can’t go home because they don’t have money for plane tickets. This grant ensures they get help in line with international laws and humanitarian principles.”
Funding to Be Released in Two Tranches
Under the deal, PAGCOR will disburse the funds in two equal tranches of PHP 25 million each. The first instalment was released during the signing ceremony, while the second will follow later this year.
The funding initiative aligns with the government’s crackdown on illegal offshore gaming, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ban such activities.
Tengco highlighted that PAGCOR’s cooperation with the BI goes beyond deportation efforts. “We want to guarantee that only legal gaming businesses operate in the Philippines,” he said.
Part of Broader Social Initiatives
Moreover, PAGCOR continues to strengthen its role in social responsibility. In recent weeks, it donated PHP 20 million worth of patient transport vehicles to local governments and state universities. Additionally, it provided PHP 6.8 million to Quirino Memorial Medical Center for neonatal incubators.
Through these actions, PAGCOR underscores its commitment not just to regulating gaming, but also to contributing to broader public welfare.
