Super Typhoon Frank and Walking Water at Roxas Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan. This was taken from the second floor of the building, and the floodwaters covered what used to be a very busy street.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Floodwaters Savage Kalibo- Footage the National Media didn't Show.
Super Typhoon Frank and Walking Water at Roxas Avenue, Kalibo, Aklan. This was taken from the second floor of the building, and the floodwaters covered what used to be a very busy street.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Help and Donate to the Victims of Typhoon Fengshen in the Philippines!!
http://www.redcross.org.ph/
Please help now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please help now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Typhoon Fengshen (Frank) Devastates Aklan- A Blow by Blow Account!
Blow by blow account of what happened in Aklan-
Things that media never reported. Pardon the grammar mistakes- this is a repost. The objective is to let people know what happened in Aklan during the typhoon.
Aklan and Typhoon Frank
Posted in http://kyrienne.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/aklan-and-typhoon-frank-2/#comment-122NOTE: This is NOT a news report, so do not quote me 
———————————
The morning of Saturday 230am, my husband received a call. It was from my sister in law informing us that Alta Tierra in Iloilo City experienced the worst flash flooding in the history of Iloilo. Typhoon Frank (international code name Fengshen) hit Western Visayas.
I was on an immediate text brigade mode, telling everyone from California to New York (I got unlimited text messaging from AT&T), of what has happened. The news was not on-line yet, but that didn’t stop me: all afternoon, I listened to Bombo Radyo Ilonggo edition. I kept informing everyone I know of the damage that was causing my in-law’s and my adopted Ilonggo home.
True enough, the night of Saturday, Iloilo was on TV Patrol news.
But what about Aklan? I wondered and pondered. ‘No news is good news’, as they said. Friends asked me if I heard anything, but I said, oh well we had survived Undang in 1985, so this shouldn’t be bad. Now, I believe “No news is so EXTREMELY BAD news’
I almost flipped when I heard bits and pieces of news. Families in Aklan text’ed families in Manila, who sent out emails and phone calls about the worst thing that had happened to my beloved hometown.
First email I got was this: ‘10 times worse than bagyo undang.(This is ten times worse than Typhoon Undang.) No electricity and water supply since saturday. indi ako kapadaea it kuwarta (I cant send money), no banks. no boats as well. there was a MUD FLOOD in Kalibo and hasta sa may second floor namon! (It reached until the second floor of the house) And its now BYOB: Bring Your Own Bangkay (haul your own dead corpse) to the town plaza’
Second email, from a different source: ‘Hanggang tuhod and putik sa buong town ng kalibo, madaming barangays ang nawala na sa mapa ng kalibo, even yung bliss community wala na…bubong na lang ng bhay ang nakikita. Just now, 115 dead bodies (unconfirmed) ang nasa plaza ng Kalibo…they don’t know the number of people died and missing.’ ~ From Roxanne T. Oquendo, forwarded by Anna Liza, New York. Holy cow.(The mud was knee-deep in the entire town of Kalibo, many barangays (counties) got erased off the map, even BLISS Community (a government low cost housing project) is gone. Only roofs of houses can be seen. Just now, 115 bodies (unconfirmed) are in the town of Kalibo.)
Third email, different source: “Umapaw and Aklan river and it got to the point where the water was above the bridge papuntang Numancia. The bridge was damaged although I don’t know if it’s still passable. remember the shopping center? the water reached halos sa bubong eot ana kuno. It is also true that nobody’s selling anything because basically nothing was left. There isn’t any water to be had anywhere.” ~ From Cheryl Sevilla, forwarded by Ruben Mobo, Tennessee.
At this point, I started to call. Rommel Constantino, my dear friend and confidante, answered his cell phone. He just charged his cell phone for 50 pesos from a Korean Store that has generator. (FUCKING KOREAN.-riain)
What freaking happened?
I can hear my other friend Michelle rattling on and on I cannot understand what she was saying. My other friend Ariel, a non-stop talker too, cannot speak. I begged Rommel not to loose it and start talking calmly. I reminded him we were on the staff of our ill-fated high school publication, and it is now the time to speak up matter-of-fact.
Below is the best account of what had happened. Please remember that I have never done news reporting in my life, and my only source of information is my 3 closest friends who are in a state of disbelief, shock, exhaustion and full of mosquito bites. And this is just what happened in Kalibo, and they admitted they know nothing about the fates of Numancia, Banga, Malinao, Makato, Ibajay and all towns surrounding the Aklan River . I am also typing this as fast as I can, ignoring grammar and sentence structure, so that I may be able to reach Akeanons all over the world thru my emails, blogs, texting and non-stop speaking abilities.
So, here goes…
Friday, June 21, evening – People are preparing for the food festival in honor of San Juan Bautista. Radio said it was Signal No1. It started to rain hard, so people just went home.
Saturday, June 22
2am – Heavy rains. Strong winds. Now it was Signal #3. Picture Undang.
5am-6am – Ceiling and rooftops blown away. Aklan River was rising.
9am-10am – Kalibo proper is starting to be flooded, waist deep. Strong currents and non-stop raining. People hold on to bamboos for floatation. To move from one place to another, people jump from rooftops to rooftops. Houses in lower C Laserna are gone.
3pm-4pm – Wind stopped. Water is at 7-8 feet, Kalibo Shopping Center now submerged. The entire Kalibo town was quiet, other than the sound of the falling rain.
7pm-8pm – In the dead of the night, with no lights nor electricity, people are screaming ‘tabang’ (help). Children wailing, women crying. Some people, who owned 2-floor houses, refused to accept their neighbors for the fear that the added weight may collapse the house.
Sunday, June 22
Sunrise– People got out of their shelters to see water and mud, tricycles upside down, boulders everywhere, dead pigs. It was like a scene from a B-rated zombie movie. First thing people looked for: DRINKING WATER.
6am – People start to walk to the market for food. They walked in 2-feet mud. People lined up to buy bread (plastic still covered with mud), canned goods, medicine. Prices skyrocketed: rice that was PhP80 is now PhP150 (good for one day for a family of 6), candles 3 pcs for PhP100, tricycle trip PhP 1000 to-fro Kalibo Airport.
Everyone was in quiet shock, saying a low ‘kamusta’, and moved on to go to where their family & shelter was.
Everyone salvaged what was left. They tried to dry, using water from the rain, their clothing and beddings. Furnitures (tables, chairs) are damaged but usable. Magsig-magsig anay kuno, ah
The Provincial Hospital is damaged too, and the new PhP 45 Million CT Scan equipment is all lost. Where do the sick go? Stay at home and hope infection (feet are scraped and punctured due to walking on mud) doesn’t spread. That is why the corpse are now lying and embalmed at the town plaza, for we don’t have a hospital.
The rest is history. You will hear about it. (Dont blame me for giving the bad news, and I had wished I was just misinformed).
Okay, I asked, how can we help? Here’s what they said:
- Prayers. Jokingly, they said are too tired, too loss of words to do this.
- Media coverage. If you know anyone in ABS-CBN, GMA, Bombo, Bandera, etc please beg them to cover Aklan. Remember, press coverage and pressure to the government will open emergency funds. Further, call all of our local Akeanon associations for help. If you know even a drop of Akeanon blood, inform them of what happened. If you need to forward my article, please do so, until a decent professionally-written write-up happens. Repost, forward, link on your blog, utilize Friendster/Multiply/Facebook. Anything, everything, everyday.
- Send money. Don’t do by bank (as for my write-up), send via Western Union or money order. Send it to your family or a person you know and trust.
- Relief goods. Airports are open. Roads to/fro Iloilo are passable. The following are needed:
- water
- katol or insect repellant
- canned goods
- rice
- lots of blankets
- towels
- flash light and batteries
- shoes
- jackets
- medicine: anti-diarrhea, vitamins, antibiotic, acetaminophen, cough/cold meds
- candles and matches
- soap & shampoo, toothpaste & toothbrush
- disinfectant
- cell phone load
- something to pass time: playing cards, books, pen & paper, radio
- children stuff (by the way, they are so traumatized)
- umbrellas
- bible, rosary and religious items
- etc
- Call them and when you get a hold of them, assure that we are doing something. Assure and reassure. Akeanons are quietly tough and I sensed morale is so low. They felt so alone. They cannot even talk to their neighbors: what for, they asked. Daily text will help and just say ‘Im here thinking of you’.
One last note: I have lived thru several hurricanes in North Carolina and Georgia. Hurricane Fran, Category 5 was the worst I experienced, having no electricity amidst freezing temperatures. But the County of Cumberland had this hour-by-hour Weather Channel and evacuation routes. Further, Americans fill their refrigerators and pantry with food, water and supplies. After the devastation, electricity was up the next day. FEMA came within the next few days.
It is so sad to even think that we don’t have the Red Cross (there is - please call your local chapter of the Red Cross to ask how you can help), coast guard, Salvation Army or anyone who can help our fellow Aklanons. This is their 5th day of surviving.
Please help in any way you can. All the way.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Joy Martinez-Avaricio, from Sacramento, California
Kalibo Pilot Elementary School 1980-1985
Aklan College 1985-1989
And a proud Akeanon from Bulwang, Numancia, Aklan
** Contact the writer: cherylavaricio@comcast.net
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Askmen.Com Says Boracay is in the Top 10 Beaches in the World
Top 10 Beautiful Beaches in the World
Imagine lying on some warm sand, with drink in hand and having sunscreen gently rubbed all over your body. So sit back and enjoy as we embark on a trip to the world's most popular beaches.
Number 10
Phi Phi, Thailand
The first tip is to book in advance, especially if you wish to get the best hotel rate. In any case, Phi Phi has two islands: Ko Phi Phi Don and Ko Phi Phi Leh (smaller). The larger Ko Phi Phi Don houses several fine restaurants, bars and coffee shops. It's pretty busy from November until January because that's when skies are blue, the water is calm, and the air is at its driest. Overall, the weather is fine during the rainy season, except for the fact that the humidity will make you sweat profusely.
Number 9
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Sitting very close to the equator, the Canary Islands offer visitors yearlong stable weather. Tenerife is the largest component in the Canary Island archipelago (the Islands are part of Spain). An artificial reef bunkers its beaches. The weather is near perfect, ranging from 68 F (20 C) to 77 F (25 C), with water temperatures ranging from 66 F (19 C) to 72 F (22 C). Impressively, this island receives less than 30 days of rain each year. Avoid holidays if you do not like the masses, while May and November are the slowest months.
Number 8
Boracay, Philippines
While less known than some of the other finalists, Boracay has received numerous accolades, especially for its "White Beach," situated at the West Coast between the villages of Angol and Balabag. The water is shallow here, and the sand is brighter and finer than most beaches in the archipelago. With over 350 beach resorts and 2,000 rooms, you're sure to find whatever you're looking for. Boracay also offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs that bop until morning.
Number 7
Natadola Beach, Fiji
Surprisingly, Fiji's weather is fairly warm but never reaches extremes. Natadola Beach is located on Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, and is perhaps the most beautiful white-sand beach there. Natadola offers natural beauty, as well as activities ranging from snorkeling to horseback riding. If you like mild and dry weather, then check out the beach between May and October, while warm and humid-weather seekers should visit from November to April.
Number 6
South Beach, Florida
You will party so hardy here that South Beach will be tattooed in your mind. While the beach itself is obviously great, South Beach is far more of a social experience than an exercise in sunbathing, peaking between November and April, where the rest of the continent is cold.
Number 5
Negril, Jamaica
Negril makes the list because its weather is perfect and consistent year round. Surprisingly, Jamaica is spared throughout the October hurricane season. This beach offers 7 miles of heavenly white sand, restaurants along the waterfront, and a soothingness that will make you wish your Jamaican friends could adopt you. Jamaica's summer season is perhaps more interesting as the beach is not jam-packed and the hotel rates are 30% lower than in the winter.
Number 4
Surfer's Paradise, Australia
Millions of visitors flock to the Gold Coast to surf, swim, surf, party, and surf some more. Besides the beach, shoppers can attend numerous theme parks as well as attractions such as Movie World or Sea World. If that doesn't make you tired, then visit the various clubs and bars, or even the Casino. You will find the most visitors between December and February. This is also the time that you'll encounter some of the hottest temperatures, so don't forget the sunscreen.
Number 3
Cancun, Mexico
Beaches, beaches and more beaches. Cancun offers everything to everyone: luxury accommodations and nonstop partying (especially in February and March, when Universities export their hottest and horniest to Cancun). And to think that this was once a docile village along the Yucatan coast someone must be turning over in their grave. Well the Aztec Gods deliver at least 250 days of sunshine, which helps put tourists to sleep at siesta time. Later in the summer is a good time if you wish to save money, but whatever you do, go somewhere else in September and October -- unless of course you enjoy storms.
Number 2
Waikiki, Hawaii
One of the world's most famous beaches, Waikiki is on the island of Oahu and offers patrons comfortable island charm with cosmopolitan amenities, as tourists from around the world join the celebrities. The best time to visit ranges from mid-December through the end of March, but the best deals can be found from April to mid-December. Summer temperatures hover around 86 F (30 C).
Number 1
Copacabana, Brazil
Copacabana is often regarded as the world's most famous beach. It spans over 3 miles (4.5 kms) right in front of the residential area of Rio de Janeiro. The scenery is breathtaking as granite rocks surround the gateway to the bay. The city offers some great spending possibilities with shopping centers, movie theaters, fashion and jewelry shops, as well as the regular horde of restaurants and nightclubs. The summer season runs from December to February with weather ranging from about 77 F (25 C) to 95 F (35 C). The beach also has a parade feel to it, as beautiful bodies and gorgeous faces play paddle games and tennis.
be a beach bum
Now that you know where the best beaches in the world are, the only stress you have left is picking which one you want to go to and saving money for your travels. Now hit the beach, relax and have fun. And remember: It's OK to be a beach bum.
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all Boracay Photos. :)
*** According to its website, Askmen.Com receives 5 Million Visits a month.
Open Your Eyes
UN.GIFT was launched in March 2007 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with a grant made on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. It is managed in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO); the International Organization for Migration (IOM); the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR); the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
This video was produced to coincide with the Vienna Forum on Human Trafficking in February 2008. It shows an innocent man walking through a typical marketplace. All around him are scenes of slavery. Malnourished workers hungrily eat the scraps of food discarded by their boss; a little boy begging is seized by a trafficker, who steals most of his money; a young girl is sold for sex.
The PSA is being aired on major international TV news channels like CNN, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Welle, and Russia Today. It also aired on the Red Carpet at the Berlin Film Festival. The message is: "Open your eyes to Human Trafficking - a crime that shames us all". Millions of victims are slaves to a criminal industry worth tens of billions of Dollars. It is happening all around us.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Manila Stakes Its Claim As A World Destination
The tallest tower in the world (from base to roof (excluding antenna) it will be taller than the Burj Dubai), the largest oceanarium, Manila version of the London Eye and get this Universal Studios Manila (!), watch out - Manila is gonna shake this side of the world.Billion $ paradise - Manila stakes its claim
In two years, the Philippines will be ready to go toe-to-toe with the best of what Macau and the rest of Asia have to offer in terms of gaming and entertainment when its own version of Las Vegas-the 90-hectare Bagong Nayon Pilipino-Manila Bay Integrated City (BNP-MBIC)-commences operation.
The state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), which enjoys the monopoly over casino operations in the country, has already approved the concepts of four local and international groups for their respective visionary developments in the gaming-cum-entertainment tourism hub.
Japan 's Aruze Corp., Genting Berhad of Malaysia, the Philippines' SM Investments Corp., and British Virgin Islands' Bloombury Investments Ltd. have committed to infuse an average US$2 billion to US$3 billion for their projects at the tourism city, Efraim C. Genuino, Pagcor chair and CEO, recently announced.
"Seven companies originally submitted their proposals but not all qualified because some concepts are on a smaller scale and they cannot comply with the US$1 billion minimum investment," Genuino said.
The four qualifiers are expected to sign their actual contracts by the second or third quarter of this year. All have held groundbreaking ceremonies last month during the Pagcor-organized 2008 Asia's Gaming and Entertainment plus Leisure Expo (Asia's GEM) in Manila. On the sidelines of the signing, Genuino acknowledged that the four prospective license holders will be pushing ahead with the actual developments in the meantime.
Birds-eye view on four concepts
Pagcor refused to divulge the specific features of their projects pending the signing of the contracts although it gave some highlights of the concepts.
Aruze Corp., a global manufacturer and distributor of gaming machines and known as having ties with the Wynn Resorts, proposed the development of the Okada Resort Manila Bay--an integrated resort with 2,000 standard rooms and 300 VIP suites.
Its main features would be an oceanarium touted to be the world's largest, theaters, a sports arena, a special museum, and a giant Ferris wheel similar to the London Eye that will be called the "Manila Eye."
Genting Berhad, with its partners Star Cruises and Philippine property giant Alliance Global Group Inc., is planning to build several hotels with a minimum room capacity of 2,000 rooms, a world-class theme park, a museum, and a tower that will be the tallest in the world.
The Genting Berhad Group owns the Genting Highlands Resort in Malaysia and holds the exclusive development rights of film giant Universal Studios in Asia. Sources say the company is putting up another Universal Studios in the Manila Bay Integrated City and will be among the first entertainment facilities that will be completed there."Most likely that is what they would do and that is also what we want," a Pagcor insider said.
SM Investments Corporation, the Philippine retail giant which owns three of the top ten biggest malls in the world, proposed to build a world-class gaming facility in partnership with Asia Pacific Gaming of Australia, a major luxury hotel to be managed by Radisson Hotels & Resorts, a museum and a sports arena. All will be built beside the SM Mall of Asia, touted as the largest in the region.
Bloombury Investments, meanwhile, plans to build three luxury hotels with a total capacity of 1,500 rooms, with high-end retail shopping, celebrity-themed dining, a showroom and museum, and a major entertainment and sports center.
Employment boon
Edward King, Pagcor spokesman, said with the BNP-MBIC starting operations in 2010, Manila will more than double its current capacity of 6,000 hotel rooms as the project is seen to have at least 8,000 new rooms.
This will enable the Philippines to attract at least three million more tourists per year and generate an additional 250,000 local jobs.
According to King, about 50,000 Filipinos are working in Macau and Pagcor expects a big number of them, specifically the entertainers and hotel personnel, to come home and work instead at the new tourism city of Manila, where they would also be paid in dollars and at rates comparable to Asian standards.
(photo) Manila Bay thunderstorm.
Family entertainment focus
King admits that the focus of the integrated city is family entertainment, unlike Macau, which is concentrated on gaming.
In fact, gaming facilities will only cover 5 percent of the total area, states King, as they want to emulate Las Vegas which gets a significant percent of its revenues from other forms of entertainment and only about half from gaming.
"Our target tourists are family-oriented. We want families to come over, watch the shows, be entertained and go to the theme parks. The children will be wandering around while the elders play slot machines. They can also use Manila as a jump-off point if they want to go to our beautiful beaches," he said.
Manila, he added, also has numerous golf courses that charge cheap rates. King noted that it would be cheaper for Japanese and Koreans to buy plane tickets to Manila and play golf here for a weekend than have a round of golf in their own countries. In contrast, King said Macau only has limited golf facilities and beaches.
"The difference between Macau and the Philippines is in Macau, you have no other place to go but the hotels and casinos. Here, you can jump to other parts of the country like Boracay (white sand beaches), Ciargao (for surfing), and Banaue Rice Terraces. We have lots to offer versus Macau. In Macau, if you do not gamble, it is a boring place," he said.
Tourist lure to include mega sport events
Pagcor will be in the running to garner a share of the estimated 200 million Chinese travelers that will be vacationing throughout Asia.
Attractions such as the Manila Eye by Aruze Corp., the Tower by Genting Berhad, the numerous museums, additional hotel accommodation, as well as the sports and entertainment shows that will be featured at the Manila Bay Integrated City will make the capital city comparable to renowned tourist magnets such as Paris, London, Bangkok and Tokyo.
He said the road system there will also be tailored fit to host F1 racing, while the sports arenas will be used as venues for international basketball, tennis and boxing events. Genuino said current World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao, who has become a global boxing icon due to his numerous conquests in Las Vegas fights, will definitely be strutting his wares in one of its big arenas.
On the economic front, Genuino said the Bagong Nayon Pilipino-Manila Bay Integrated City will triple Pagcor's revenue to US$1.5 billion, half of which will go to the national treasury, aside from the ripples it will create in the construction, hotel, restaurant and other tourism-related industries.
"This project represents Pagcor's shift from mere gaming into wholesome, family-oriented recreation and entertainment. With this, we aim to make Pagcor the catalyst for economic progress and national development," he said.
Pagcor to entertain more proposals for tourism city
Investors need only US$1 billion to enter the Philippine market. With the proposals phase still wide open, Manila regulators say late comers are still welcome
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) is still accepting proposals for prospective investors in the succeeding phases of the Bagong Nayong Pilipino- Manila Bay Integrated City (BNP-MBIC) project.
"We are not saying no to anybody. Anybody who has money, with US$1 billion, can still submit their concepts to us," Edward King, Pagcor spokesperson told Macau Business.
King said they can always reclaim land for potential investors to add to the four companies--Japan's Aruze Corp., Genting Berhad of Malaysia, the Philippines' SM Investments Corp., and British Virgin Islands' Bloombury Investments Ltd.--that are set to occupy the 90-hectare initial phase of the BNP-MBIC.
Pagcor is even open to proposals that would entail construction over water, acknowledges King.
Pagcors terms for application are quite straight forward and involve certain key provisions:
Each applicant/project proponent to BNP-MBIC must pay a License Application Fee of US$50,000, payable to Pagcor and non-refundable.
BNP-MBIC applicants/proponents must have 1) financial capability and 2) experience in hotel and entertainment/gaming business.
Applicants who are principally financial investors are welcome, but are required to engage entities who have a track record in organizing/operating world-class hotels and gaming projects.
All applicants/proponents must submit proposals for a total entertainment complex with a minimum project cost of US$1 billion, consisting of both equity and debt. Of this, a minimum of US$400 million must be invested in Phase 1 of the project, which may be divided into sub-phases.
Gaming facilities (i.e. casinos) to be built during Phase 1 must be in operations within 2 1/2 years of Pagcor's approval of the project.
Other components of Phase 1 of a proponent's project must be completed within 5 years of Pagcor approval
All project proponents must have a minimum debt equity ratio of 50% equity and 50% debt, to assure the project's financial viability. Projects with less than 50% equity component will not be accepted.
Local and foreign ownership non-barrier to agreements:
Project proponents, who will own the land on which the project is sited, will be subject to the 60/40 Filipino citizenship requirement. While applicants to BNP-MBIC who will not own the land but propose to operate on leased land owned by Pagcor in the BNP-MBIC may be 100 percent foreign-owned. For applicants operating on a lease, the lease period is for 25 years, starting from date of issuance of Provisional License, renewable by mutual agreement for another 25 years.
Final process details include:
Performance Assurance: Upon Pagcor approval of application, each proponent must submit a Bank Guarantee, Letter of Credit or Surety Bond to be secured from a reputable firm acceptable to Pagcor. This will guarantee the proponent's completion of the project.
The proponent shall open an Escrow Account with a local bank acceptable to Pagcor and the proponent immediately after Pagcor grants a Provisional License. This account shall be jointly controlled by Pagcor and the proponent, who will make a deposit amounting to at least US$100 million.
In lieu of an Escrow Account, Pagcor will accept an actually investment of US$$100 million in the project at the time of the application.
Once the proponent's gaming operations begin, Pagcor shall impose the following fees in lieu of all taxes with reference to gaming revenues:
From non-junket table and slot machine operations:
1 10% of gross gaming revenues from High Roller tables (min. bet of US$10,000)
2 25% of gross gaming revenues from non-High Roller tables
3 25% of gross gaming revenues from slot machines
4 2% of total gross gaming revenues from both High Roller and non-High Roller tables, for the restoration of cultural heritage
5 From Junket Operations, 10% of gross gaming revenues from both High Roller and non-High Roller tables
6 Non-gaming revenues will be subject to the normal taxes or tax exemptions as may be specified by other government agencies under which the applicant is registered (e.g. Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Board of Investments)
8 The number of licenses Pagcor will issue for BNP-MBIC proponents will be flexible, depending on the applicant's conformity to Terms of Reference and on approved Integrated Proposal Concept.
9 Provisional Licenses will be issued to proponents effective for the duration of the project development period and shall not exceed the approved completion date of the whole project.
10 A gaming License will be issued upon the proponent's submission of certificate of completion and occupancy permit for the whole project to Pagcor. The term of the License shall not exceed the term of Pagcor as specified in Republic Act 9487. No sub-licenses will be issued or allowed.
Philippine gaming-from illegal to state monopoly
"The Philippine Government's full control on casino operations ensures
that all gaming revenues will be used to serve the Filipino people"--Pagcor
The gaming industry in the Philippines started with privately owned casinos that were all, no matter how one dresses it, illegal, because they did not have official government approval.
In 1938, or just seven years after the US granted a license to its first gaming hall in Las Vegas, two Americans opened the first casino in downtown Manila.
Edward King, spokesman for the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), said this clandestine operation of casinos in the country went on up to the middle of the 1970s when the likes of Stanley Ho Hung Sun were the leading figures.
In 1976, however, the late strongman President Ferdinand Marcos decided that it was time for the state to take hold of the casinos and their vast revenues by issuing Presidential Decree 1067-B, creating Pagcor. "Basically he kicked out Stanley Ho then," King narrated to Macau Business.
A few years later, PD 1869, now known as the Pagcor Charter, was promulgated. Under its Charter, Pagcor serves three crucial roles: to regulate and operate all games of chance in the country, particularly casino gaming; generate funds for the government's infrastructure and socio-civic projects; and boost local tourism.
From illegal gaming halls with multiple private operators pocketing all the revenues, casino operations became not only a part of a government monopoly but also a leading source of state funds.
Pagcor earnings to date have a distribution of:
5 percent of net winnings goes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue as franchise tax;
50 percent of the 95 percent balance goes to the National Treasury as the National Government's mandated income share;
5 percent of the balance after the franchise tax and the National Government's mandated income share goes to the Philippine Sports Commission for financing of the country's sports development programs;
1 percent of the net cash income goes to the Board of Claims, an agency under the Department of Justice, which compensates victims of wrongful detention and prosecution;
Cities hosting Pagcor casinos are given a fixed amount for their respective community development projects;
The remaining balance is then remitted to the President's Social Fund to help fund the priority projects of the government.
Aside from these, Pagcor also provides funds for the implementation of vital laws:
US$9.6 million a year or US$48 million in five years to the Early Childhood Care and Development program;
US$2.4 million initial funding to the Sports Incentives and Benefits Act;
US$7million or US$240,000 a month to the Gasoline Station Training and Loan fund over several years.
US$6 million to be taken from Pagcor's remittance to the President's Social Fund to implement the National Museum Act of 1998;
US$120,000 a month to be taken from the National Treasury's share to support the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002;
US$ 715,000 to fund the Children's TV Act of 1997;
US$7 million contribution to the Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Development Fund;
US$350,000 contribution to the Philippine Seafarers' One-Stop Processing Center (Presidential Administrative Order 56).
Pagcor is also tapped to be the major benefactor of the Comprehensive Integrated Shelter Financing Act and the Poverty Alleviation Program, among numerous newly enacted laws and other bills pending in Congress.
Fortunately, under the present leadership of Chairman and CEO Efraim Genuino, Pagcor has been recording high revenue inflows.
By the end of 2001, Genuino's first year in office, Pagcor posted a US$406 million total income, exceeding by almost 20 percent the previous year's US$350 million.
In 2007, Pagcor's revenue rose to US$645 million, and Genuino is targeting this to conservatively go up to US$ 716 million this year.
"Since all casinos are government-owned, all the money goes to the state and ultimately to the people, unlike in Macau where I think 35 percent of revenues goes to the casino operators," King said.
Pagcor has been granted recently by the Philippine Congress with a new lease on life after its franchise was extended for another 25 years, renewable for another 25.
by Max V. de Leon in Manila
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