The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation yesterday denied that it plans to spend P500 million to renovate its Casino Filipino branch in Angeles City, slamming “disinformation” from some quarters.

PAGCOR chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said a social media posting by an employee, identified as Gian Samson, allegedly made a false claim about the renovation plan.

Tengco lamented that the disinformation being peddled against the agency’s privatization plans is causing demoralization among PAGCOR employees.

“There is absolutely no truth to Mr. Samson’s allegations because the renovations will be fully shouldered by the lessor,” 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 once it is privatized.

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 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.