Pagcor denies implementing ‘Bingo Combo’

A proponent of "Bingo Combo" offered equipment and technology to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) last year and the game underwent a 30-day "testing period," but the deal did not materialize, the government’s gaming agency said yesterday.

However, Edward "Dodie" King, Pagcor spokesman, did not identify the proponent when queried by reporters.

King said the documents presented to the media recently by Archbishop of Dagupan-Lingayen Oscar Cruz was a copy of the procedural guidelines, which are standard in any evaluation process.

"Due to the complexity of games such as the Bingo Combo, documents like this are especially important because it outlines the mechanics inherent to and required by the game," he said.

"It also ensures that everyone has an understanding of how the testing should proceed," he added.

King said the proposal went through the normal evaluation process and a 30-day "testing period" prior to final evaluation to allow Pagcor to test the equipment, look into its merits and assess possible implications of its operations on the community.

"However, the testing period never materialized," he said.

"We would like to clarify that the Bingo Combo game is only one of hundreds of proposals offered to Pagcor for evaluation and possible implementation."

King said should Bingo Combo be deemed acceptable in the future, the procedural guidelines would be used as part of the supplemental materials submitted for further evaluation.

"We would like to stress, however, that the document does not in any way grant authority to operate Bingo Combo game," he said.

"There are no further plans to push through with the Bingo Combo since it did not even merit a recommendation for implementation at the department level. It never reached our board for appropriate action."

King said they were surprised by Archbishop Cruz’s claim that Pagcor planned to launch a new game.

The "Bingo 2-Ball" game implemented for a few months during the Estrada administration posed a problem because the government incurred losses, with most of the shares going to the group of presidential friend Charlie "Atong" Ang, he added.

King said 50 percent of Pagcor revenues automatically goes to the National Treasury, while five percent of the balance goes to the Philippine Sports Commission.

Pagcor is mandated by law to give one percent of its net cash income to the Board of Claims, an agency under the Department of Justice (DOJ), to compensate victims of wrongful detention and prosecution, he added.

King said the cities hosting Pagcor’s casinos also receive a share of its income, depending on the annual revenues.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also gets P400 million every year from Pagcor for its early childhood care and development programs, he added.

King said Pagcor is also required to give P100 million for sports incentives on top of the amount that goes to the PSC for cash incentives to athletes who win major sports competitions.

"At the end of the year, zero ang pera ng Pagcor (Pagcor’s income is zero) because it’s our mandate," he said.

On Tuesday, Pagcor belied a report that they would begin the operation of Bingo Combo, saying this is not even one of the new number games being considered for implementation. — Pia Lee-Brago, Rainier Allan Ronda