PHLPost issues longest Philippine stamp for 2024 Independence Day celebrations
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N celebration of the 2024 Araw ng Kalayaan and the 125th Anniversary of the First Philippine Republic of 1899, PHLPost has issued the “Longest Stamps” in a bid for the Guinness World Records. Considered to be the Philippines’s longest Postage Stamps, the sheetlet strip of three measures 200mm x 35mm, which is the first of its kind issued by PHLPost. Entitled “Philippines: First Republic in Asia,” this remarkable stamp vividly illustrates the Philippines nationhood from the historic proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898
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to the declaration of the First Philippine Republic in 1901. The commemorative stamps feature historical vignettes that transpired from the declaration of Philippine Independence in 1898, the arrival of Aguinaldo in Malolos Bulacan, the inauguration of the first Philippine Republic at the Barasoain Church in 1899, the Philippine American War, Aguinaldo’s odyssey in Northern Luzon with women nursing the wounded, Apolinario Mabini in Pangasinan and Aguinaldo’s capture in Isabela but others continued to fight for liberty in 1901.
Inside the stamps are the photos of the Philippine Revolutionary Government Postage Stamps and the Philippine Revolutionary Government Postage and Telegraph Registration Stamps issued during that historic era. PHLPost immortalized this legacy with a unique stamp underscoring the Philippines as a beacon of liberty, democracy and republicanism in Asia. The stamps continue to be the source of inspiration, courage and patriotism among Filipinos. See “PHLPost,” A2
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FUND, JOB LOSS RISKS FROM POGO BAN CITED By Reine Juvierre S. Alberto & Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
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@joveemarie
HE national government could lose P20 billion in potential revenues annually if Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) are banned in the country, and a ban could simply prompt operators to go underground, the state gaming regulator said. The warning about the fallout—a huge revenue loss that does not necessarily banish the serious peace and order problem spawned by dozens of illegal operators linked to foreign criminal gangs—came amid rising calls by lawmakers for a full, immediate ban as revelations of crimes are reported in congressional inquiries. A House of Representatives leader, though, had pointed out to his peers the big strides made by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s (Pagcor) in modernizing operations, resulting in: boosted revenue, weeding out of errant operators, and a shift in the worker demographics from predominantly Chinese to mostly local hires. Pagcor data received by Ways and Means Committee Chairman Joey Salceda’s office showed collections from licensees in 2023 increased to P5.1 billion from just 87 licensees, compared to P2.99 billion from 158 licensees in the previous year. This amount is second only to the 2019 collections, the first full year of legalized IGL operations, when Pagcor collected around P7.96 billion from 298 licensees. According to Pagcor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alejandro H. Tengco, the government will lose revenues from banning Internet Gaming Licensees (IGLs), the new name being used for Pogos, without
PBBM, Gibo, lawmakers: Freedom has to be defended
any guarantee that the illegal activities would stop. “If this happens, it would become harder for us to monitor them, and the number of illegal operators would grow and pose a bigger headache to our law enforcement authorities,” Tengco said in a statement late Tuesday. Earlier, Tengco said that legitimate and licensed Pogos generate funds for the government, contributing about P5 billion to Pagcor's gross revenues in 2023. Several senators and congressmen are pushing for a total ban on Pogos in the Philippines after some operations that were raided in Central Luzon, including the celebrated case of the Bamban, Tarlac hub enabled by its Mayor Alice Guo, were linked to human trafficking, torture and illegal detention, cyber fraud and money laundering. Tengco said that it is likely for banned legitimate operators to hide and vanish, bringing their gaming equipment, such as computers and machines, and will continue to operate without government monitoring and supervision. “We have no guarantee that, once we ban the legitimate operators, they will simply close shop and return to their countries of origin where they are likely to face prosecution and jail, or worse,” Tengco added. In the Philippines, Pogos will go underground and continue operating or they could join those engaged in illegal activities, such as scamming, hacking and other cybercrimes. This could pose a bigger problem to the government, Tengco said.
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
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Respect Congress
TENGCO, however, said Pagcor will
See “Fund,” A2
PAGCOR MAY APPROVE MORE INTEGRATED RESORTS SOON
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By Nonnie Pelayo
HE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) might approve new licenses for integrated resorts (IRs) containing a casino in the near future. The online magazine newsletter GGRAsia in an article on Wednesday quoted Pagcor chairman Alejandro Tengco saying, “I can see that in the next four years, we might be approving one or two more licenses.” A number of new casino properties are set to be launched in the coming years and these would help boost the gaming
industry’s gross revenues and strengthen the Philippines’s position as a major gambling destination, Tengco said. Bloomberry Resorts Corp opened its US$1-billion Solaire Resort North at Vertis, Quezon City recently. Tengco said at least six new gaming projects are in the pipeline, including a casino resort planned by Bloomberry in Paniman, Cavite. The other projects include a casino hotel at Westside City within the Entertainment City; a project in Clark Field, See “Pagcor,” A2
CELEBRATING FREEDOM AT LANDMARK SHRINES The 126th Independence Day celebrations on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, featured key events at two historic sites. At the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite, the flag-raising ceremony was led by Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla, Kawit Mayor Angelo Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavite 2nd District Rep. Lani Mercado Revilla, Cavite 1st District Rep. Jolo Revilla, and other government officials. The ancestral home of Emilio Aguinaldo, the country’s first President, was the site of the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12, 1898. Meanwhile, in San Juan City, Mayor Francis Zamora and Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo led the flag-raising and wreath-laying activities at the Pinaglabanan Shrine, the site of the Battle of San Juan del Monte, which marked the beginning of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule. ROY DOMINGO AND NONOY LACZA
RESIDENT Marcos on Wednesday called on the people to become modern day heroes by defending Philippine independence against intimidation, conquest and oppression. Marcos made the remark in his video message for the commemoration of the 126th Independence Day after the Armed Forces reported that Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy held for the first time drills within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone last Tuesday, raising security concerns. “And as inheritors of the freedom we enjoy today, it is the duty of each one of us to protect it and ensure that we are never again swayed by the threat of intimidation, conquest and oppression,” Marcos said in Filipino, without referring to China. Marcos stressed Filipinos are capable of facing current challenges through their courage and unity and other traits being promoted under the Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) campaign of his administration. “We are the face of the New Philippines. In our own way, we can be the heroes of our modern age. Let’s use our wisdom and diligence in every task and the most important thing, be humble, loving the people and honorable at all times,” he said. Launched in January, Bagong Pilipinas (BP) aims to transform the economy and governance by promoting positive Filipino traits. Under Memorandum Circular 52, national government agencies and instrumentalities were directed, and local governments were encouraged to integrate the BP hymn and pledge during flag raising ceremonies. During the celebration of the 126th Independence Day, the Marcos administration broke tradition with the inclusion of the recital of the BP hymn and pledge for the first time in the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony before the Rizal Monument at the Rizal Park. See “Freedom,” A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 58.7690 n JAPAN 0.3743 n UK 74.8129 n HK 7.5227 n CHINA 8.1083 n SINGAPORE 43.4585 n AUSTRALIA 38.8463 n EU 63.2825 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.6713 Source: BSP (June 11, 2024)