MANILA, Philippines — Online casinos pledged P150 million in aid to beef up the Philippines’ efforts to fight the spread of the new coronavirus disease, which has infected more than 300 in the country.
In a videotaped announcement Saturday, Andrea Domingo, CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., said the financial assistance from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators will be released on March 24.
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Also known as POGOs, these highly controversial Internet-based casinos are mostly manned by mainland China nationals catering to Chinese punters overseas.
Broken down, P90 million of the total aid from POGOs was earmarked to buy medical supplies while the remaining P60 million will be used to purchase and deliver food to communities affected by the Luzon lockdown.
The aid from online gambling operators will augment the P2.5 billion funds that PAGCOR allotted for the Department of Health and P100 million for food assistance, Domingo said.
Domingo added that Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez also ordered PAGCOR to immediately turn over P12 billion of its 2019 dividends to the national treasury. — Ian Nicolas Cigaral