The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) recently inaugurated two socio-civic centers in the mountainside towns of Maragusan and New Bataan that are frequently hit by natural disasters.

The new facilities, built with P50 million funding each from PAGCOR, will serve as safe shelters during emergencies as well as venues for various socio-economic activities of the communities.

Maragusan, situated nearly four hours from Davao City and home to approximately 65,000 residents, is among the most prone to landslides. For years, residents take shelter in public schools during calamities, often disrupting classes.

“This facility is a significant help to the locals who need to evacuate their homes during disaster situations,” said former Maragusan Mayor Maricel Vendiola, who spearheaded the project in 2022.

“Classes in public schools will no longer be interrupted; at the same time, this structure will serve as a venue for promoting our local government’s projects and activities,” she added.

Maragusan’s incumbent Mayor Angelito Cabalquinto echoed Vendiola’s views and emphasized the facility’s potential to host activities that will contribute to the town’s economic growth.

“I am very excited to utilize this facility for our economic and livelihood programs. This will also help our local government generate additional revenues for our operations,” Cabalquinto said.

For the people of New Bataan, which is also prone to heavy flooding and landslides, the newly inaugurated facility is a realization of a life-long dream, according to Mayor Geraldford Balbin.

“For years, we have dreamt of having a sturdy and comfortable building to serve as temporary shelter for our people during calamities,” he said. “This project is a demonstration of PAGCOR’s commitment to address the needs of vulnerable communities.”

Balbin also highlighted the facility’s durability and recalled how it withstood a strong earthquake last year while still under construction.

“There wasn’t a single crack or damage on the walls despite the strong earthquake. This shows the quality and strength of this facility’s construction,” he added.

During the inauguration ceremonies, PAGCOR Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group Ramon Stephen Villaflor underscored the agency’s commitment to community development and disaster resilience.

He noted that Maragusan and New Bataan were the only municipalities in Davao de Oro, formerly Compostela Valley, to get socio-civic centers under the agency’s funding.

To date, PAGCOR has completed and inaugurated 43 socio-civic centers nationwide, with 29 more facilities nearing completion.