PAGCOR making winning a habit

“When a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” This famous philosophical thought experiment was inspired by George Berkley in his work, A Treatise Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge.

Since the time he wrote it in 1750, Berkley’s question has been used in various contexts, from physics to pop culture, and has appeared in conversations between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohrs, and Lisa and Bart Simpson.

But aside from its philosophical and metaphysical implications, the question can also be applied to the everyday stuff that we do and its impact — or lack thereof — on those around us. Do we really make a difference in the world? If we were a tree falling, is anyone there to hear us?

In the case of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), it certainly appears that there are people who are taking notice of the things that the company is doing. Or at the very least, the means by which PAGCOR is making what they are doing known to the public.

This is clearly evidenced by PAGCOR’s most recent awards haul at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards in Australia, and the Philippine Quill Awards of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

According to reports, “Three of PAGCOR’s Communication and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects bagged Bronze Stevie Awards during the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards held at the Westin Hotel in Sydney, Australia on May 27.

“The winning projects include the Matuwid na Daan sa Silid-Aralan (Building Schools Through Good Governance), School Building Program and the Pinoy Bayanihan project. Both earned Bronze Awards for Innovation in Community Relations for Public Service Communications. Meanwhile, the agency’s third PAGCOR National Photography Competition with the theme Tatak Pinoy (Uniquely Filipino) received a Bronze Award for Innovation in the Use of Events.”

On the local front, the school building project and the Tatak Pinoy photo competition also received recognition from the IABC’s Philippine Quill Awards. Both projects earned Merit Awards for the Communication Management/Corporate Social Responsibility Category and Communication Skills Special Events Category.

But beyond the awards, PAGCOR’s programs serve a larger purpose for the community. It is a key partner of the government in alleviating the gross social disparities found in the more depressed areas of the country.

The crucial role played by PAGCOR is among the reasons why it has specifically been identified by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte as the main source of funds for its social health program.

Given its current social responsibility track record, we are confident that it will be up to the task. Among its current initiatives are programs that aim to help improve the quality of education in the country “by building thousands of classrooms nationwide,” eradicate armchair backlog in public schools by using illegally confiscated logs to build student’s desks and chairs and contribute to the local tourism industry “by helping position the Philippines as a world-class and fun destination.”

According to PAGCOR’s AVP for Corporate Communications Maricar Bautista, “Being recognized by prestigious PR and Communication award-giving bodies here and abroad is a testament to PAGCOR’s well-implemented, high-impact programs.

“PAGCOR has always been a staunch ally of the government in reaching out to the less-privileged sectors of the society through its various CSR programs. We are extremely grateful that our efforts to fulfill our mandate are recognized not only by our stakeholders but also by the movers and shakers in the PR and Communication industry. Also, we would like to thank all the beneficiaries of PAGCOR’s CSR programs who inspire us to do more so we could reach even the remote areas where our fellow countrymen need help the most.”

Ritzi Ronquillo, chairman of IABC Philippines, also commended PAGCOR for winning locally and internationally. “We’re very happy to see PAGCOR as a winner. I think PAGCOR is making winning a habit already. PAGCOR has won not only here but also in the international Gold Quill in 2014. I think that’s a very good sign for all of us and it puts the flag of the Philippines up there. Congratulations to everybody in PAGCOR,” she said.

The Philippine Quill Awards is one of the country’s most prestigious awards in business communication while the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards is one of the most-coveted international business awards competitions that are being participated in by 22 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. Entries submitted in both competitions were screened rigorously by the most respected communication professionals, practitioners and field experts.

So to all this, we say, congratulations PAGCOR, we heard you loud and clear.