Pagcor unveils first socio-civic center in Batangas

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation formally unveiled its latest and most recently completed Socio-Civic Center here Wednesday, June 26, two years after the project’s groundbreaking in March 2022.

Pagcor Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco led the inauguration for the P50-million state-of-the-art structure in Barangay Pansipit, a village named after the river that connects Taal Lake to Balayan Bay.

The two-story facility can serve as a venue for various events, social gatherings, educational activities and various programs and activities of the local government, not to mention as an evacuation center in times of calamities.

In his address, Mr. Tengco emphasized the importance of projects that help promote community development and resilience.

He also said that Pagcor rebranded its previous multipurpose evacuation facilities into Socio-Civic Centers because the buildings can serve many other purposes aside from being a shelter during disaster situations.

“We thought it best to call this building a Socio-Civic Center because these are to be used not only for calamities but also to mount various programs and activities,” said the Pagcor chief, partly in Filipino.

The new Pagcor Socio-Civic Center is thus expected to contribute to the overall socio-economic development of Agoncillo since its modern design and facilities makes it a perfect venue for events, trainings and conferences for surrounding communities.

To date, a total of 39 Pagcor-funded Socio-Civic Centers have been completed and unveiled nationwide, while 33 others are still undergoing construction.

During the ceremony, Tengco also announced the agency’s donation of two desktop computers to the municipal government of Agoncillo.

Agoncillo Mayor Cinderella V. Reyes thanked Pagcor for its continuing support to their town which sits on the shores of Taal Lake and is very near the active and turbulent Taal Volcano.

“We are deeply grateful to Pagcor for the unwavering support. This Socio-Civic Center will undoubtedly become a cornerstone structure in our town, providing a venue for numerous activities that will benefit our residents.

“We look forward to maximizing its potential to foster unity and progress in Agoncillo,” she said.

Classified as a 4th-class municipality, Agoncillo has previously been a beneficiary of Pagcor’s Corporate Social Responsibility projects.

In 2022, the town received P30 million for the construction of the Pagcor Village, a housing project designed to provide safe and permanent shelter for families displaced by the frequent eruption of Taal Volcano.