This time, it’s PAGCOR

The COA is now setting its sights on PAGCOR, questioning allowances, perks and expenses. Thirteen million pesos worth of 18-carat gold rings given to 20-year loyal employees are being questioned by the COA. Apparently there is a limit as to how much these loyalty gifts should cost, which is at P10,000. The number of employees receiving the loyalty gift was not mentioned. PAGCOR Chairman Andrea Domingo was firm on the gifts and said they will seek clarification from the Office of the President. Oh, so they spent that much on loyalty gifts, then they seek clarification from the Office of the President.

Then there are PAGCOR officials who receive Representation and Transportation Allowance (RATA), but at the same time, have car plans. If an official or employee is already availing of a car plan, they must no longer be receiving RATA. The COA discovered P58 million were spent for RATA, while P29 million was spent for car plans. The law also limits the monthly allowance at P28,000, but the chairman and CEO received as much as P110,000 a month. Again, clarification or approval from the president must be required.

We are not done yet. Officials and employees of Casino Filipino Davao, in addition to receiving Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) to the tune of more than P3 million, they also receive Personal Economic Relief Allowance (PERA), this time for more than P9 million. According to the COA, that is disallowed because of double compensation. However, PAGCOR is saying that the government corporate counsel approved their compensation package for both COLA and PERA. Maybe in Davao.

COA also discovered that while it may be generous to its officials and employees, it was wanting in its remittance to the national treasury, as well as its measly five-percent contribution to Philippine sports. We all know that PAGCOR is one of the more lucrative government agencies as it oversees the booming gaming industry in the country. It is literally awash with cash. One may just as easily shrug off the COA findings, and believe that its officials and employees deserve all the benefits pointed out, if not for the fast and furious firing of other officials from other agencies because of their many trips abroad.

Which brings me to the core of the Duterte administration. The intensity of the president’s disdain for graft and corruption is directly proportional to how close one is to him. We heard nothing from Duterte when Wanda Teo and Vitaliano Aguirre were forced to resign because of the numerous issues hounding them. Up to this day, the COA is still finding out what was happening at the DOT under Teo’s watch. We also heard nothing from him when two of his fraternity brothers were caught up in a bribery scandal caught on video. But we have heard him threaten those he just fired to shut up or else. In the case of PAGCOR, it seems they have the luxury of seeking clarification from the Office of the President, after COA has called them out.

I guess they really have it good.