The head of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR), Andrea Domingo, is hopeful that Manila’s land-based casinos can reopen in the next few weeks.
Delivering a keynote speech at the ICE Asia Digital and SiGMA Asia Focus online conferences last week, Domingo said, “We’re going to get on with it in June or at the very latest in July.” Casinos in Manila have been closed since March 15.
Domingo said PAGCOR’s first priority is to “stay healthy and to stay safe during Covid-19.” She added, “The second most important thing is that we have to be able to maintain the employment of the 132,000 direct hires of the gaming industry. And third, we have to maximize revenue collection because our government, like all governments, needs the money not only to fight Covid but to buy a vaccine, to do massive testing, support hospitals and also to jumpstart the economy after the Covid crisis is over.”
Entertainment City resort Okada Manila became the first property in Manila to announce major layoffs, letting go 1,000 staff members in May due to the impact of the virus.
