State-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. said Thursday it lifted the gaming suspension against Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., the operator of gaming and entertainment complex Resorts World Manila.
Pagcor said in a statement TIHGI had taken action to address the issues in its safety and security procedures. It said, however, that the lifting of the suspension order “does not disregard TIHGI’s officers and personnel from any criminal liability” from the June 2 robbery/arson incident that happened in Resorts World Manila.
“With the lifting of the suspension order, Pagcor enjoins TIHGI as well as all gaming operators to continuously improve their safety procedures and protocols to ensure that this tragic incident will not happen again,” the gaming regulator said.
TIHGI said with the lifting of the suspension order on the company’s provisional license to operate casinos and other gaming facilities, Resorts World Manila resumed gaming operations on June 29.
“With Pagcor’s assistance and guidance, we can now start the difficult task of rebuilding as it is also our responsibility to take care of our 6,000 staff and personnel,” said RWM president and chief executive Kingson Sian.
“We are bringing back the gaming operations on the ground and third floors of our integrated resort. The second floor will no longer be used for casino operations and will be utilized for other non-gaming purposes instead,” Sian said.
TIHGI said among the security and safety improvements it implemented were the hiring of Blackpanda as the new security agency and experts to assess and improve safety and security systems, increasing the number of x-ray machines and metal detectors and doubling up of deployment of guards with firearms.
It also conducted additional safety and security seminars for employees, had a professional structural engineers assess building to ensure structural integrity and obtained fire safety inspection certificate from the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.
Aside from compliance with security and safety improvements, Pagcor also lifted the suspension order in consideration of TIHGI’s 6,000 gaming operations workforce, whose livelihood were affected.
Pagcor said the government was losing an average of P14 million a day or P434 million a month as a result of the suspension order.
The share price of TIGHI rose 0.3 percent Thursday to close at P3.41.
