PAGCOR's Tengco unfazed by negative reactions, calls on public to respect new logo

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has called on the public to respect its new logo which it said was a “good decision,” as it defended the P3-million contract for it, citing other deliverables.

According to PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco, he remains unfazed by the reactions on the state-run agency’s new logo, which was formally unveiled in the past week.

“I will be honest with you. I am not affected at all. We made a good decision and ‘yung decision na iyon ay paninindigan namin [we will stand by that decision],” he told reporters in an ambush interview in Clark on Monday.

“That is a management prerogative, kaya palagay ko naman merong managament prerogative kami at iyon po ay pinakikiusap namin na igalang naman [and I think we have management prerogative and we ask that this be respected] because we also have done so many things that have not been highlighted,” he added.

The new logo was heavily criticized by netizens, with some claiming that it was plagiarized from the logo of the website “Tripper,” which PAGCOR has since denied and dismissed as a “malicious and baseless campaign.”

Based on the Notice of Award posted by PAGCOR, the contract price for the project was quoted as P3.036 million, covering a value-added tax-exclusive, zero-rated transaction with PrintPlus Graphic Services.

Tengco on Monday also defended the price tag, as he said this also includes other deliverables aside from the logo itself.

“There are so many other deliverables na ipagkakaloob ng designer tulad po ng mga manual. ‘Di naman po basta ‘yan gumawa ng logo, tapos na po. Meron po ‘yan mga manuals,” Tengco said.

(The designer will submit so many other deliverables such as the manual. It does not end with the logo. There are also manuals.)

Tengco said the logo will be used in PAGCOR’s 45 properties across the country, its stationaries, envelopes, and other corporate materials.

“Mali ‘yung pag-iisip na ‘yung tatlong milyon para sa logo lang. Merong mga aral na ginawa at maraming gamit din ang kailangan pa asikasuhin ‘yung designer,” he added.

(It is wrong to think that the P3 million is for the logo alone. The designer did studies and will have to attend to a lot of other items.)

Opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have already called for a congressional inquiry into the contract to ensure transparency and accountability in the government agency’s actions.

Senator Grace Poe also earlier expressed intent to look into the procurement process for the project, as she said the P3 million could have been used for more important programs.

Under its charter, PAGCOR is mandated to regulate the gaming industry, generate revenues for the Philippine government's socio-civic and national development programs, and help promote the tourism industry. —KBK, GMA Integrated News