Philippines president Benigno Aquino III has ordered an investigation of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the proliferation of gaming establishments in areas not considered tourist destinations.
"You’re all witnesses to the proliferation of so many gaming establishments and some of them I don’t agree with," Aquino told reporters after the inauguration of the Philippine National Police School for Values and Leadership in Subic, Zambales.
"There’s one in Cavite, one in Tagaytay and there’s also a proposal to put one in Tarlac and Tarlac is not a tourist destination."
Aquino said gaming establishments should target the tourism industry and should be set up in areas that are considered tourist destinations. He raised particular concern over the proposal to put a gaming establishment in his home province of Tarlac as there are already gaming establishments in the nearby towns of Angeles in Pampanga and Subic in Zambales.
He added that he was open to privatising Pagcor after evaulating the gaming agency’s records for the past nine and half years under the Arroyo administration.
