Pagcor releases P8.5-million assistance to students 

Hundreds of students and teachers from Pateros and Occidental Mindoro will soon have access to modern learning tools and new laboratory equipment after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) turned over on February 10, 2022 a total of P8.5 million grants to the officials of Pateros and Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC).

Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III received the check worth P6 million while OMSC Director for External Affairs and Internationalization Veronica Ferrer received P2.5 million from the PAGCOR Board headed by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andrea Domingo at the PAGCOR Executive Office in Malate, Manila.

PAGCOR Chairman Andrea Domingo said that the state-run gaming agency takes pride in its nation-building efforts, such as extending much-needed support to public schools in the country.

“With these grants, we hope that more students from public learning institutions will have a better fighting chance in life as we provide them with the tools needed in their education and personal advancement. We likewise hope that more teaching personnel will have better teaching aids that will improve the students’ learning experience,” Domingo said.

The P6 million grant to Pateros – the lone municipality in Metro Manila – is intended for the purchase of almost 700 units of mobile tablets for the indigent senior high school students of Simplicio Manalo and Pateros National High Schools.

Meanwhile, the P2.5 million financial aid to OMSC will be used for the repair and replacement of the damaged laboratory equipment of OMSC’s Labangan and San Jose campuses.

OMSC, the lone state college in Occidental Mindoro which consists of five campuses, was among those that were badly hit during the onslaught of typhoons Tisoy and Ursula in December 2019.

OMSC Director for External Affairs and Internationalization Veronica Ferrer was thankful that the state college finally has the funds for the repair and replacement of damaged computers and radio equipment in their campuses.

“Talagang malaking pasalamat po namin dahil ang P2.5 million is not an easy amount, at malaking tulong po ito para sa OMSC. This is the first time that we have an engagement like this with PAGCOR at nabigyan kami ng pansin although ang OMSC po ay napakaliit na school. Makakaasa po kayo na ito pong inyong financial assistance ay malaki ang maitutulong sa ating estudyante at stakeholders,” Ferrer expressed.

Likewise, Pateros Mayor Miguel Ponce III was thankful that PAGCOR has once again trusted their municipality with another financial support. “Kami ay nagpapasalamat sa PAGCOR through Chairman Andrea Domingo sa napakalaking tulong. Isa lamang ito sa mga tulong na naibigay ng PAGCOR particularly itong panahon ng pandemya. Isa ito sa pinakamalaking tatanggapin namin this year, itong tulong na pambili ng tablets para masuportahan ang online classes ng senior high school students ng bayan ng Pateros,” cited Ponce.