PAGCOR pledges P300M grant to upgrade PNPA facilities

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) is set to provide P300 million in financial grants to the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), to finance the improvement of its facilities and provide advanced training for its cadets.

According to PAGCOR, the grant will cover the construction of a PNPA Alumni Association building that will serve as an administrative office and a dormitory for visiting alumni, and the upgrade of the PNPA’s Crime Scene Plaza that will be a training ground for forensic and investigative procedures.

PAGCOR said it will also finance the purchase of firearms training simulators, and help the PNPA in acquiring mapping and predictive policing software to support training in crime analysis, visualization, and prevention.

“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. The law enforcement community has always been our top priority,” PAGCOR chairman and chief executive officer Alejandro Tengco said.

“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,” he added.

Tengco also turned over a P2.2-million check to the PNPA Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI) which will finance the purchase of a new service vehicle, and 100 tablets to assist the learning needs of cadets.

PAGCOR posted a record P112-billion in revenue in 2024, bringing its net operating income up 51% to P84.97 billion, and its net income to P16.76 billion.

The agency in 2023 announced plans to privatize self-operated casinos moving forward, and instead focus on a purely regulatory role. It expects to raise at least P60 billion to P80 billion from such plans.

It targets to divest from casino operations in the next five years, during which it also expects one integrated resort to open each year. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/RF, GMA Integrated News