Pagcor gets ISO certification for 16 Casino Filipino sites

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor), the nation’s casino regulator-cum-operator, says 16 of its Casino Filipino sites and branches have secured the ISO 9001:2015 certification, following a series of surveillance audits earlier this year. The certification was presented to Pagcor chairman and chief executive, Alejandro Tengco (pictured, centre), by DQS Certification Philippines Inc during a ceremony on Friday. The audits were conducted in March, covering 16 Casino Filipino locations, according to a press release issued by Pagcor. The certified venues are Casino Filipino sites in Mactan, Venezia, Calamba, Town Center, Premier, Apo View, El Rancho, Fuente, Subic Bay Yacht Club, Tropicana, Adriatico, Grand Imperial Gensan, Iloilo, Oriental Pavilion, Leisure World, and Cagayan Valley. The ISO 9001:2015 certification is valid until March 22, 2029, subject to the completion of annual surveillance audits, Pagcor said. Mr Tengco was cited as saying in the announcement: “This milestone reflects the dedication of our people and our collective commitment to raising the standards of Pagcor’s operations.” He added: “ISO certification provides a framework for strengthening our processes, improving efficiency and ensuring greater consistency and accountability in the way we deliver our mandate.” Mr Tengco also urged Pagcor personnel to support implementation of the agency’s Quality and Environmental Management System, as well as its environmental sustainability initiatives. “Quality and environmental responsibility must be part of our continuing work,” he stated. Pagcor is currently in the process of disposing of its Casino Filipino network, as part of a plan for the agency to move to a purely regulatory role. A proposal for such step is currently under review by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations (GCG), the government body overseeing state-owned entities. Mr Tengco has previously said the regulator hopes to complete the privatisation process by the end of this year, subject to approval from the GCG and, ultimately, from the Philippine president.