Pagcor to study proposed ban vs casino magnate

MANILA, Philippines – The board of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) will tackle the proposal of the House of Representatives’ committee on games and amusement to ban American casino magnate Steve Wynn from doing business in the country, following his allegations of bribery involving Pagcor officials.
“The matter will be taken up in the board meeting,” Pagcor assistant vice president for corporate communication Maricar Bautista told The STAR.
“We will abide by the decision of the Lower House,” Pagcor chairman and chief executive officer Cristino Naguiat Jr. said.
Wynn, chairman and chief executive officer of Wynn Resorts, accused his business partner Kazuo Okada of spending more than $110,000 in favors and perks to Pagcor officials, including Naguiat.
Okada has a $2-billion investment in the planned Entertainment City at the reclamation area near Manila Bay.
Naguiat, who attended yesterday the hearing of the House games and amusement committee, said investors remain on track in completing the $15-billion Pagcor Entertainment City in Parañaque City despite the court battle in the US between gaming moguls Wynn and Okada.
Okada, through an emissary, issued a statement before the House committee and apologized for dragging the country and its officials into his corporate squabble with Wynn.
Naguiat told reporters that Okada and other investors in Entertainment City remain “bullish” and the timetable to finish the complex before the end of President Aquino’s term remains on track.
He said Pagcor has already issued licenses to four proponents, including Okada’s Tiger Resorts, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., Travellers International Hotel Group, Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc., and SM Consortium.
Naguiat said Bloomberry is scheduled to open its resort by late this year or early 2013 while the consortium completes its complex.
Okada’s complex will open next and Travellers will finish in 2015.
“Let me add these two important factors in terms of tourists going to our country – first factor beaches… so that’s why we have Boracay, Cebu, we have Puerto Galera (Oriental Mindoro). Number two, tourists look for historical sites… (so) we have Intramuros, we have the Walled City, we have Corregidor. All the ingredients for tourism, for gaming is all here in the Philippines,” the Pagcor chief said.
He said a recent industry report on the Asian market stated the Philippines is the market to watch, and that if all the proponents finish their projects, the country can easily match or exceed gaming revenues of Macau, Singapore and Las Vegas.
He said Macau earns about $35 billion in revenues annually; Singapore $6.5 billon; and Las Vegas, slightly lower than Macau.
The Philippines currently earns some $2 billion annually from Pagcor casinos.
But once Entertainment City is completed, the country can easily earn $10 billion in the second year of operations from gaming alone. Additional revenues can be had from tourism and other related expenses and the government stands to receive P100 billion per year from gaming operations, Naguiat said.
He and Manila Rep. Amado Bagatsing, chairman of the House panel, said Wynn booted out Okada and sued him in court for alleged corrupt practices because he wanted to derail the Entertainment City project, which threatens his casino operations in Macau and the US.
“What can Macau offer after gaming, nothing. What can Singapore offer after gaming, Universal Studios, period; what can the Philippines offer as far as tourism is concerned – Boracay, surfing, snorkeling, so many, we speak English… that’s why these other countries within the region really look at the Philippines as a threat, so I look at this machination of Mr. Steve Wynn as a direct affront on our country,” Bagatsing said.
“What I’m saying is – look at the Philippines in totality, let’s look at the bigger picture rather than zeroing on what Wynn and company would like to project to the entire world, specially to the gaming world and to the investors,” he added.
Bagatsing said the allegation against Naguiat was merely intended to ruin the country’s reputation in the gaming industry.
Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said he supports Naguiat’s pro-tourism agenda.
“Gaming is a major way of attracting investors as well as tourists. Aside from this, we have seen in the past few years that Pagcor under chairman Naguiat has been instrumental in boosting local tourism, which translates into more jobs and livelihood for many of our countrymen,” Villafuerte said.
“We remain appreciative of what Pagcor and chairman Naguiat have done for Philippine tourism and we are saddened that the allegations leveled against him and other senior officials of the agency are not only affecting their work but also giving our country a bad image,” he said.
The committee unanimously approved a motion by Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone to ban Wynn from conducting any business in the country, especially in casino and entertainment.
Lawmakers also asked Pagcor to extend to Okada and other investors of Entertainment City all assistance in facilitating government requirements.
Reading Okada’s statement in the House hearing yesterday, Masahiro Terada said Okada also cleared Naguiat of committing any wrongful act, even as he stressed that Wynn’s exposé insinuating that he had bribed the Pagcor official will not stop him from investing in Entertainment City.
“My resolve is strong and my confidence high to see through the completion of my vision to build a complex that we will all be proud of. Let us not allow those with selfish business interests against the Philippines to distract us from the noble objective of bringing progress to this country,” Okada said.
The Japanese gaming operator apologized for “putting the Philippines in bad light because of the derogatory” statements issued by Wynn.
Ochoa to probe Pagcor official
Malacañang is willing to review the role of Pagcor, both as a casino regulator and operator, while an investigation on bribery allegations against Naguiat is ongoing.
President Aquino had designated Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to head the committee that will conduct an investigation on the charges leveled by Wynn against Naguiat, who allegedly received bribes from Okada.
“Maybe part of that (Ochoa panel probe) also would be a review on the role of Pagcor as both a regulator as well as an operator,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda told Palace reporters. – With Paolo Romero, Delon Porcalla

Source: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=781918&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Many tourists and residents of Manila traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Pampanga Angeles City, Clark Philippines are surprised to find a a large wine shop so near Manila right in the heart of Pampanga, just 70 minutes from Manila. Even residents of Subic travel to Clark via ScTex to do some wine shopping in this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center, a project of Hong Kong-based Yats International.

Foodies and wine lovers travel north from Manila to wine and dine at Philippines’ best fine dining restaurant in Pampanga Clark Freeport worth the 60-minutes drive for a memorable evening of good food with vintage wine at Yats Restaurant & Wine Bar. Most guests would stop by this famous wine shop called Clark Wine Center to bring home a few good bottles of fine vintage wine also. Other visitors may find the wine selections in some of the restaurants in Angeles City Pampanga to be less than interesting, so they stop by this wine shop near Angeles City Pampanga Clark Philippines, buy some good wines and bring these bottles of good vintage wines to the restaurants so they can enjoy the dinner.

Public wine tastings are held by this well known wine shop of Pampanga from time to time in Clark and sometimes in Manila. Tickets range from p500 to p1500 for these themed events that are professionally run –no wine merchants sponsorship, pushy salesmen or tacky banners to ruin the evening. Each ticket contains a certain number of stubs that can be redeemed for a tasting pour of a wine among those on a line-up which often contains wines that are quite old and expensive. This is one the things to do in Manila and Pampanga.

Tourists and residents of Manila travel out of town to the north on a short getaway look for the best place in Clark to buy some fine vintage wine to bring home after their holidays and vacations. Many find a top rated wine shop called Clark Wine Center to be an exciting place to do some shopping in Clark Pampanga. This famous wine shop is highly recommended for visitors going to Clark Pampanga to drink good wine, relax and unwind with friends and families. This frequently visited wine shop is known by tourist and visitors to Pampanga, Angeles city, Subic and Clark Philippines as a cool place to hang out in Clark. Many attend the regular wine tasting held either outdoor on the roof deck or in indoor on the second floor above the wine shop. The place has good atmosphere for a private wine tasting party or a small night out gatherings for business or social event.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila
Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple: after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave. From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City. From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.

Click here to contact Clark Wine Center in Clark Pampanga for inquiries and orders.

Clark Wine Center
Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building
Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,
Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023
0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars
Manila Sales Office
3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,
Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605
(632) 637-5019 0917-520-4393 ask for Rea or Chay

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

http://www.PhilippinesWeddingVenue.com

While in Clark, it might be a good idea to enjoy an evening of wine-and-dine in the fine dining Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar that features an award winning 2700-line wine list. Highly recommended fine dining restaurant in Manila for special occasion is Yats Restaurant & Wine Lounge located in the famous Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark Pampanga. Situated near this popular restaurant in Clark is the Mimosa Golf Course as well as the Mimosa Clark Casino. This top rated restaurant near Angeles City Pampanga in Clark Philippines is frequently used for private parties and corporate functions such as board meetings and other gatherings. It is located in Mimosa Leisure Estate of Clark Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.YatsRestaurant.com

YATS Leisure Philippines is a developer and operator of clubs, resorts and high-class restaurants and wine shops in Clark Angeles Philippines http://www.YatsLeisure.com

Looking for famous tourists spots, places to visit and see, relax and unwind in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines? You may want to check out these sites also:

http://www.LondonPubClark.com

Besides good restaurants to wine and dine near Manila, Subic or in Angeles City Pampanga, Clark Philippines, those requiring assistance for hotel and resort bookings in Clark, Pampanga, Philippines may log on to http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com for more information and reservations.

The lifestyle in Clark Pampanga is quite unique. For more information about shopping, sports, golf, leisure, hotel accommodation, where to see and visit, what to do, where to wine and dine and good places to hang out, relax, have a drink with friends, child-friendly establishments, log on to
http://www.ClarkPhilippines.com

Wine lovers looking for a special bottle or something that is of great value and special discounts might log on to this web site to shop for fine vintage wines
http://www.YatsWineCellars.com

Those visitors who plan to relax and unwind in Angeles City, Subic, Pampanga, Clark Philippines might make an effort to book a room at the famous beach and lake resort Clearwater Resort & Country Club. This famous hotel in Clark Pampanga is frequently visited by families with children looking for a good place in Clark to see, a good holiday destination for the family to relax and unwind in the beautiful outdoor facilities. For more information, log on to www.ClearwaterPhilippines.com