The Philippine gaming regulator exceeded official guidelines for loyalty payments to certain long-serving staff during calendar year 2017, according to the latest report from the country’s public spending watchdog, the Commission on Audit.
The commission said the underpayment by Pagcor relative to the government’s 50 percent share of cash dividends from Pagcor operations, for the period from calendar year 2011 to calendar year 2017 inclusive, amounted to nearly PHP21.19 billion (US$396 million), in 2017 the gaming regulator provided cash rewards aggregating to nearly PHP12.5 million for officials with 20 years of service, plus an 18-carat gold ring as memento for each staffer according to the document.
That circular said the maximum payment for 20 years of service in relevant public bodies should be up to PHP5,000 per person, but the Pagcor’s own handbook of rules covering the matter mentioned a cash payment of PHP10,000 per person for 20 years of service, plus one month of basic pay and the 18-carat, 10-gramme (0.35-ounce) gold ring.
Despites all these statements made by the audit, Pagcor has completely refuted all this issue.
“The giving of 18-carat gold memento rings for 20-year loyalty awardees, as well as cash awards, has already been stopped since 2016 by the present management headed by chairman and CEO Andrea D. Domingo (pictured).”
And protected themselves under the Presidential Decree 1869 that had given the regulator the “authority to craft the company’s personnel policies”. additionally, in 2011 it required and received the approval of then President Benigno S. Aquino III “for the adjustments in the salaries and benefits” for its personnel, “including the loyalty award granted by Pagcor since 2008″
