The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) today slammed the disinformation from some quarters regarding the agency’s privatization plans, saying that such moves cause undue demoralization among employees.

PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco cited in particular a social media posting by an employee, Gian Samson, who claimed that PAGCOR plans to spend P500 million to renovate its Casino Filipino branch in Angeles City.

“There is absolutely no truth to Mr. Samson’s allegations because the renovations will be fully shouldered by the lessor,” Chairman Tengco said. “PAGCOR will not spend a single centavo on the renovation.”

In his post, Samson said the renovation plan is meant to spruce up the branch so that it becomes attractive to prospective buyers when it is privatized.

Chairman Tengco said that the renovation of the Angeles branch is part of PAGCOR’s commitment to provide better facilities and services to attract more customers and therefore ensure the profitability of its operations.

“We do not own the building where CF Angeles is located, that is why we made arrangements with the lessor to shoulder the renovation expenses because they are the property owner, and PAGCOR is just the lessee,” Tengco said.

“This is the same arrangement we are pursuing with our Casino Filipino branch in Bacolod as part of our overall efforts to make our casinos more attractive to customers which should benefit all of us at PAGCOR, as well as the government,” he said.

Tengco said the privatization of PAGCOR’s casinos will start in the last quarter of 2025 at the earliest, which will give the agency enough time to provide safety nets to those who will be affected.

He also debunked the claims made by Samson’s group that a total of 10,000 employees will lose jobs in the privatization.

“That number is very misleading because the 10,000 employee count is our total workforce,” he said. “We are not disbanding PAGCOR; we are only shedding off our casino operations but a many workers will remain in regulatory, enforcement, monitoring and electronic gaming licensing units, to name a few,” he added.

“I, thus, appeal to our employees not to swallow all the lies being peddled by some disgruntled people,” Chairman Tengco said. “We are here to look after your welfare, but you need to allow us to do our job.”