PAGCOR PLEDGES PHP300M FOR PNPA INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAINING MODERNIZATION

SILANG, CAVITE — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) pledged Php300 million in financial grants to the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) on Friday, March 14, to improve its facilities and provide advanced training resources for its cadets.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco made the announcement during the 45th PNPA Alumni Homecoming celebration at Camp Gen. Mariano Castañeda in Silang.

“While PAGCOR’s primary role is to regulate the gaming industry, we also have a responsibility to support institutions like the PNPA and the national police,” he said. “The law enforcement community has always been our top priority.”

PAGCOR’s grant will cover the construction of a PNPA Alumni Association building which will serve as an administrative office and a dormitory for visiting alumni.

It will also finance the upgrade of PNPA’s Crime Scene Plaza that will serve as a training ground for forensic and investigative procedures.

Likewise, the state gaming firm will finance the purchase of firearms training simulators to refine the cadets’ marksmanship and decision-making skills in high-pressure situations.

PAGCOR will also help the police academy to acquire crime mapping and predictive policing software to support cadets’ training in crime analysis, visualization and prevention, as well as cybercrime investigations.

A patient transport vehicle – equipped with a GPS navigation system, ambulance stretcher, medical oxygen, wheelchair, and a first aid kit – will also be turned over to the PNPA next week.

“Technology is now a crucial aspect of law enforcement, and our cadets must have access to modern facilities and training innovations that will allow them to combat crime more effectively,” Mr. Tengco said.

The PAGCOR chief also turned over a check worth Php2.2 million to the PNPA Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI) for the purchase of a new service vehicle aside from 100 tablets to help in the learning needs of cadets.

“We hope that these contributions will help facilitate mobility and enhance the learning of cadets and alumni members who are engaged in continuing education,” Mr. Tengco said.

The PAGCOR chief likewise acknowledged the support of its licensed casino foundations which have contributed nearly Php700 million to PNP-related projects since 2017.

“Newport World Resorts Foundation alone has provided almost Php600 million, including a Php500 million grant for the ongoing construction of a 100-bed PNP NCRPO Medical Center in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig,” he said.

Other major contributions include Bloomberry Cultural Foundation’s Php40 donation, which included eight patrol vehicles for the PNP Southern Police District; Melco Resorts Philippines Foundation’s Php21 million donation for various PNP programs; and the Okada Foundation’s Php50 million grant to acquire communications and medical equipment for the police force.

Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, Executive Director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Executive Director and also the Chairman of PNPAAAI, expressed gratitude to PAGCOR.

“We are truly grateful to PAGCOR for these generous donations,” he said. “The PNPA is situated outside Metro Manila and the city centers, so to attract the best professors and provide world-class training to our cadets, we need funding to provide better accommodations and state-of-the-art training facilities.” #