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PAGCOR inaugurates two-storey evacuation facilities in Aurora and Quezon Province

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Residents of Dingalan, Aurora now have a typhoon-resilient evacuation facility to turn to in times of calamities, following the inauguration of the municipality’s P50 million worth Multi-Purpose Evacuation Center (MPEC) on June 16, 2022. The two-storey structure was funded by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Dingalan’s picturesque mountains, scenic beaches and pristine waterfalls make it a go-to haven of tourists who wish to commune with nature and experience exciting adventures. However, the rainy season poses a great threat to the municipality, which is often battered by destructive typhoons.

Locals, especially those from the coastal communities of Barangay Matawe, Barangay Ibona and Barangay Umiray, often scurry to evacuate to nearby schools, which serve as temporary evacuation centers.

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Ibona’s Barangay Captain Ricardo Balala Jr. said their situation is far from ideal because the classrooms, which they use as evacuation facilities during calamities, are not designed for such purpose. “Kapag nagkakaroon ng kalamidad gaya ng malalakas na bagyo, hinihiram namin ang Ibona Elementary School at tsaka ang Ibona National High School bilang evacuation center ng aming mga residenteng nasa risk area,” he said.

Meanwhile, farmer and Dingalan local Roberto Modesto recalled the ordeals that he and his family experience during times of calamities, such as typhoons. “Kasi dito ang iingatan mo sa panahon ng kalamidad ay dalawa: ‘yung pag-angat ng tubig at yung pag-bira nung hangin. Kasi pag-angat ng tubig, baha iyan diba? At ‘yung pag-bira ng hangin, sisira ng bahay iyan. Nasubukan na namin ‘yung hindi kami makalikas dahil hindi kami makatawid. Nasubukan na din namin ‘yung sa ilalim ng puno ng Narra kami naka-puwesto. Sira na kasi ‘yung bahay namin. Meron naman kaming mga kapote at trapal. Pinag-susuklob na lang. Ganon ‘yung sitwasyon. Mahirap dahil gustuhin mo man lumikas, kapag pumunta ka sa barrio wala ka namang lilikasan,” he said.

According to Dingalan Mayor Shierwin Taay, the MPEC in their area is a realization of a long-time dream. “Salamat sa Diyos dahil ang pangarap na ito na magkaroon ng isang landmark building sa timog bahagi ng Dingalan ay nagkaroon ng katuparan sa araw na ito. Maraming maraming salamat po sa PAGCOR,” he said.

Apart from the inauguration of the MPEC in Dingalan, two newly-constructed PAGCOR-funded MPECs in San Andres, Quezon are now ready to provide safe shelter to locals who are often displaced by natural calamities after the inauguration of said evacuation facilities on June 11, 2022.

With a total of P77.90 million funding from PAGCOR, the local government of San Andres was able to hasten the construction of a two-storey MPEC in Brgy. Mangero and a covered court type evacuation center in Brgy. Poblacion.

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PAGCOR President and COO Alfredo Lim who graced the inauguration events in San Andres, underscored the agency’s commitment to nation-building through its various Corporate Social Responsibility programs. “Being our flagship program, the Multi-Purpose Evacuation Centers project has been designed to help safeguard the lives and protect the welfare of our less privileged kababayans who have no safe place to go during extreme weather conditions. This project has been made possible because of the dedication and commitment of our employees, who made PAGCOR’s revenue generation efforts possible, even amidst the pandemic,” he said.

Also, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo expressed optimism that more MPECs will be completed in the coming weeks. “I am confident that our partner LGUs will continue to fast-track the construction of these evacuation facilities before the typhoon season. We all know how vulnerable our country is to climate change and these evacuation facilities will serve as their safe havens,” she cited.

Since its launch in 2020, PAGCOR has allotted P3.5 billion for the project. Of this amount, P2.024 billion has been released for 73 sites. A total of ten MPECs in Aurora, Quezon Province, Tarlac, Albay, Capiz and the towns of Sagñay, San Jose, Tigaon and Ocampo in Camarines Sur were completed.

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Thailand: Requirement of B50M in Account for Casino Entry Removed

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The Thailand’s Entertainment Complex Bill has been amended, removing the requirement that Thais must show they have at least 50 million in a fixed deposit before being allowed into the planned casino-entertainment complex.

It has been replaced by the need to have filed three-years of income tax returns.

The requirement is in Section 65 of the draft Entertainment Complex Bill, which has been under scrutiny by the Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body.

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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Pichai Chunhavajira said the draft had now been reviewed by the council and revisions proposed to meet its objectives, including listening to feedback from the public.

The revised draft legislation had been signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnivirakul and sent to the cabinet secretariat on Feb 28, but it would not be on this week’s cabinet agenda, Mr Pichai said.

The process prior to submitting the bill to the cabinet would take about two weeks, he said.

Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat confirmed that the 50 million baht requirement for casino entry had been removed and replaced by the requirement that Thais must have submitted three-years of tax returns.

The casino entrance fee remained at 5000 baht, he said.

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“The Ministry has checked the data and found there are only 10,000 Thai accounts with at least 50 million baht. So, the former requirement would push people to gamble elsewhere, which could be illegal. This amendment has been agreed on by the ministry and the Council of State,” Mr Julapun said.

He said the draft bill would be submitted to the cabinet for approval as soon as possible. He expected this would be during the current parliamentary session.

On Monday, representatives of several protest groups – the Network of Students and People for Thailand’s Reform, the Centre of People for the Protection of the Monarchy, and the Dharma Army – gathered near government house in Bangkok.

They submitted a letter to the prime minister opposing passage of the legislation. They argued that it would be harmful to the people, the country and the principles of all religions.

The post Thailand: Requirement of B50M in Account for Casino Entry Removed appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Scientific Games India Recognized as One of Jombay’s 2025 WOW Workplaces

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Scientific Games has been named one of Jombay’s WOW Workplaces of 2025 in the Information Technology, Information Technology Enabled Services and Global Capability Center category at its Bangalore, India, location. This prestigious accolade reaffirms the company’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and inclusivity. The award highlights the global lottery leader’s dedication to providing an exceptional environment where employees thrive personally and professionally.

The WOW Workplace Awards are an annual listing of organizations with the most WOW reviews. The award substantiates how “great,” “best” or “exceptional” a company is through testimonials and feedback across the web (including employee review websites) using Jombay’s AI engine.

 

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Pat McHugh, CEO of Scientific Games, said, “Being recognized as one of Jombay’s WOW Workplaces is an incredible honor and a true reflection of the remarkable culture our team in India has built. Our India team’s relentless dedication to innovation and excellence is inspiring and helps fuel our success with employees and customers worldwide.”

Scientific Games’ Bangalore operations, established in 2015, recently expanded to a new, state-of-the-art facility, underscoring the company’s growth and investment in its workforce. The center is a hub for research and development, software innovation, quality assurance and technology operations, contributing significantly to the company’s global mission.

Mahesh Nanjundappa, Managing Director of Scientific Games India, added, “This recognition is a testament to our employees’ hard work, creativity and commitment to making Scientific Games a fantastic workplace. At the heart of our success is the inspiring environment we’ve cultivated where every team member feels valued and empowered to achieve their best.”

Scientific Games operates across five continents, delivering a comprehensive range of retail and digital lottery solutions and lottery sports betting products and services to 150 lotteries in 50 countries.

The post Scientific Games India Recognized as One of Jombay’s 2025 WOW Workplaces appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Tencent Cloud Recognised as a Leader in Omdia Market Radar for Games in Asia & Oceania, Solidifying its Position as a Global Gaming Industry Innovator

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Tencent Cloud, the cloud business of global leading technology company Tencent, has been named as a leader among cloud platforms for games in the latest report by Omdia, a premier technology research and advisory firm. The report highlights Tencent Cloud’s exceptional capabilities in supporting the gaming industry, showcasing its cutting-edge infrastructure and innovative, gaming-specific solutions, which solidify its position as an innovator in the global gaming sector.

According to the “Omdia Market Radar: Cloud Platforms for Games, Asia & Oceania – 2025,” Tencent Cloud is the top cloud platform for game developers in China – one of the largest and fastest-growing markets globally. It is also expanding its influence internationally, establishing a significant presence in Asia and Oceania, where it is positioned as one of the leading cloud service providers and is the only Asian vendor in the leader quadrant. As China’s largest gaming company, Tencent’s scale is reflected in its deep expertise and sustained focus in the gaming sector, with a sustained focus on gaming, which drives the development of its cloud platform. This emphasis is evident in Tencent Cloud’s robust suite of tools for game developers, including game servers, multiplayer services, and LiveOps. The platform’s offerings reflect the advanced adoption of live service business models in the Chinese market, distinguishing Tencent Cloud as a leader in the industry.

Poshu Yeung, Senior Vice President of Tencent Cloud International, said: “It is an honor for us at Tencent Cloud to be recognized as a leader in the Omdia Market Radar. This acknowledgment is a testament to our commitment to innovation and excellence in supporting the gaming industry. As the demand for cloud-based gaming solutions continues to grow, Tencent Cloud becomes even more well positioned to drive innovation and deliver greater value to developers and players all over the world.”

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The post Tencent Cloud Recognised as a Leader in Omdia Market Radar for Games in Asia & Oceania, Solidifying its Position as a Global Gaming Industry Innovator appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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