PAGCOR nears casino privatization amid union opposition

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is nearing the completion of its plan to privatize its casino operations, ending its dual role as both regulator and operator.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco stated that the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GCG) is currently reviewing the necessary documents for this "decoupling."

Employees, however, fear that this move could lead to the loss of jobs for around 8,000 to 10,000 casino workers.

The Pagcor Employees Association (PAGCEA) and its legal counsel have opposed the privatization, with the counsel questioning the constitutionality of the move.

The counsel argued that the decision to decouple PAGCOR requires an act of Congress and is beyond the scope of the GCG and the President.

PAGCOR's dual role has served its purpose but as the industry matured, it became clear that a referee cannot also be a player on the same field, according to Tengco.

This privatization occurs amid robust growth in the Philippine gaming sector, with revenues reaching P215 billion in the first half of the year.