President Aquino to lead Philippines Amusement
and Gaming Corporation's Christmas gift-giving in Pasay City Monday
President Benigno S. Aquino III will lead the
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s yearly gift-giving activity this
Yuletide season that will be held at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City on
Monday.
The event, dubbed “Bayanihan: Pamaskong Handog
ng PAGCOR 2012,” is the agency’s grand gift-giving mission that aims to bring
cheer and goodwill to more than 8,600 less privileged Filipinos under the care
of 41 institutions nationwide as beneficiaries.
Among the beneficiaries are indigent patients
confined in several state hospitals; orphans; abandoned and abused children;
the elderly; the disabled and physically handicapped; street children; cultural
minorities; special children diagnosed with mental retardation, autism and
multiple disabilities; children in conflict with the law; women with serious
mental disorders, poor families and communities; cancer-stricken children, and
street sweepers.
The President, who will be joined by PAGCOR
chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr, Pasay City Mayor Antonio Calixto, Manila
Mayor Alfredo Lim, Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Jr, and Pasay City
Representative Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, will lead the distribution of gift packs
to some 2,000 street sweepers.
PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog event began in
December 2010 under the initiative of the agency’s new management as part of
its core commitment to reach out to the less privileged sectors of society. The
successful staging of the "Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR: 12 Days of
Christmas” in 2010 inspired the new PAGCOR management to make the event a
yearly tradition.
When PAGCOR marked its silver year in 2011, the
state-owned gaming firm decided to forego a lavish anniversary celebration.
Instead, the agency opted to hold a bigger and longer Christmas gift-giving
event that lasted for 25 days. Dubbed “Pamaskong Handog 2011: 25 Days of
Christmas, 25 Years of PAGCOR”, the project symbolically represented PAGCOR’s
25 years of commitment to responsible gaming and community development by
sharing its blessings with more than 7,000 beneficiaries in 36 institutions
nationwide. PAGCOR allocated a hefty P25 million for this endeavor.
Bayanihan: Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR 2012 will
run from November 29 to December 20, 2012. PND (rck)
Pacquiao retains the admiration and support of
the Filipino people, says Lacierda
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said on
Sunday that the loss of Manny Pacquiao to his opponent, Juan Miguel Marquez, in
their latest bout does not diminish, in any way, the honor and dignity the
Filipino boxer has brought the Philippines and his fellow Filipinos.
In a statement, Lacierda said that despite the
loss, Pacquiao retains the admiration and support of the Filipino people.
He said that the boxing icon and Sarangani
representative accepted the loss, as with any win in his boxing career, with
humility and dignity.
Lacierda's statement follows in full:
"Matapos po ang laban na ginanap sa Las
Vegas, Nevada, nabigo po ang ating Pambansang Kamao na si Manny Pacquiao sa
kanyang ika-apat na laban kay Juan Manuel Marquez.
Sa kabila ng kanyang pagkatalo, hindi po nito
maisasantabi ang napakaraming karangalang naibigay na ni Manny sa sambayanang
Pilipino. Muli, ipinakita niya nang buong loob ang kanyang dedikasyong
makipaglaban sa ngalan ng ating mga kababayan at ng bandila.
Tinanggap po ni Manny ang kanyang pagkabigo nang
buong pagpapakumbaba at dignidad, gaya ng ipinapamalas niyang katangian sa
bawat pagkapanalo niya sa laban.
Wala pong magbabago: Nananatili ang paghanga at
pagsuporta ng sambayanang Pilipino kay Manny. Nawa’y sama-sama po nating
ipanalangin ang panunumbalik ng kanyang sigla’t lakas." PND (rck)
