Casino in Chinatown

The Filipino Chinese community led by Teresita Ang-See vehemently opposes the setting up of a casino in the Chinatown area in Manila. They held a really last month in front of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s “VIP Club” casino to protest what they called a “casino-building spree.”

“This is a call not only for the Binondo and Sta. Cruz areas. This is for Filipinos nationwide. The government plans to set up more casinos nationwide,” Tribune newspaper quoted Citizens Action Against Crime chairman Teresita Ang-See in this report.

PAGCOR however remains unfazed by the opposition. It allegedly set up signs announcing a lighting project in vicinity of the hotel where the casino is located. Thus signs that read “Street lighting of Ongpin Street…Buhayin ang Maynila. A project of Pagcor” suddenly appeared along the Ongpin Street over the weekend.

“But there was no sign of additional lighting facilities in the area. The lampposts existing there were part of the project of the city government,” says the Tribune report.

Does this sound familiar? I’d say yes. PAGCOR, it seems, has mastered the art of propaganda. Last December , it launched the “Patubig ni Gloria” project in time for the Arroyo’s campaign. After the elections, the water delivery trucks that used to frequent depressed waterless communities were nowhere to be found. That it has supposedly set up non-existing lighting projects to enhance the acceptability of its casino project could expected.

By the way, do you know what games are being played in PAGCOR’s casinos? These, according to their site: Black Jack, Super 6 , Casino War, Pai-Gow, Pontoon, Baccarat, Big and Small, Craps, Stud Poker, Slot Machines
Genuine Pairs, Roulette. I could only recogrnize only two or three of these games. I’ve never played in a casino before. Most likely I never will.

I just hope PAGCOR would respect Chinatown’s anti-casino and anti-gambling stand.