MANILA, Philippines — Bagama’t apektado ng coronavirus disease (COVID19) pandemic ay kumpiyansa pa rin ang Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) na makakaba-ngon ang horse racing industry ngayong taon.
Inaasahan ni Philracom chairman Reli De Leon na kikita sila ng halos P3 bilyon bago matapos ang taon.
“For the first six weeks of the year we had P515 million sales but we stop again on March 14 up to May 12 due to the pandemic. But we expect to have at least P2.5 billion to P3 billion sales up to December 31,” ani De Leon kahapon sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum online edition.
Sa gitna ng COVID-19 pandemic kung saan natengga ang horse racing ng anim na buwan ay kumita ang Philracom ng higit sa P1 bilyon.
Sinabi ni De Leon na ilang malalaking karera ang kanilang inihahanda para buhayin at pasiglahin ang kanilang industriya.
“There are a lot of big things that will happen this year,” ani De Leon “The Presidential Gold Cup that will happen on December 12 this year will give the biggest host prize in the history of Philippine horse racing.”
“The biggest host prize before was P3 million in one race. By December 12 of this year we will have a minimum of P5 million,” dagdag pa ng Philracom chief.
Inilalarga ang mga karera sa San Lazaro Leisure Park sa Carmona at PRCI sa Naic na parehong nasa Cavite at ang Metro Turf naman sa Malvar, Batangas.
Para mapanatili ang sigla ng horse racing ay nag-lunsad ang racing commission ng online betting noong Marso ng nakaraang taon.
“As we go along with this pandemic last year, unti-unti po nating nai-promote iyan. Nasa 18 percent na kami ng total sales ngayon and we are planning to hit 30 percent before July 30,” ani De Leon.