Saturday, October 11, 2008 Jumpstarting the shift of Pagcor's image By Gigie A. Agtay
HE MAY have failed to fulfill his father's wish for him to be a PMAer (graduate of Philippine Military Academy) but Arthur O. Malatag has made a name for himself as branch manager of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) in Davao.
He inched his way up the ladder from being a young dealer in 1970 at Chateau Royale, Wells Fargo, and Parola.
"Nag-umpisa ako as dealer sa mga illegal casinos along Dewey Boulevard (now Roxas Boulevard) at the age of 17," Malatag said, adding that casinos were illegal that time. "Kami yung laging nire-raid."
"Pag natimbrehan na kami na may padating na raiding team, we would clear the room of table games paraphernalia. By the time nakapasok na sila, maririnig na nila kaming kumakanta ng 'De Colores' or 'Happy Birthday'," he recalled. "There was one time nabuko ako kasi when they checked on my suit's inside pocket nandoon lahat ng joker cards."
He said he was an irregular first year college student at the University of the East when he worked at the casino. He said he shifted courses but never finished one.
"Di ko nakayanan dahil gabi ang trabaho ko sa casino," he said.
When Martial Law was declared in 1972, then President Ferdinand Marcos ordered all the illegal casinos closed. Malatag was jobless prompting him to join the movies.
"Nag extra muna ako sa pelikula as supporting actor in YLY film productions. Among the big stars na nakasama ko were the late Ramon Zamora in 'Landas ng Hari' and Jay Ilagan, tsaka si Victor Wood in 'Kay Lupit Mo Pag-ibig', Rhodora Salve," Malatag said.
To augment his income as a supporting actor, Malatag also worked as a checker.
"Ito yung taga check ng sales ng pelikula sa mga sinehan," he said. "During the shooting naman, I would also assume the role as assistant production manager."
Acting for the big screen wasn't a piece of cake though. "Mahirap makipagsabayan sa mga artistang magagaling kumanta like Manny de Leon, Eddie Peregrina, Victor Wood, Romeo Mallari kaya I joined the SOS daredevil stuntmen. Kasama ko dito si Rudy Fernandez," he said.
"My first personal appearance ko as an actor was in Davao City at the New Davao Theater. Dito din ako nagkaroon ng kauna-unahang Arthur Ortiz (his screen name) fans club." After five movies, the government allowed the resumption of floating casino operations on December 30, 1975.
"I started again as dealer. Kinuha yung dating mga dealers ng Dewey Boulevard," he said.
In 1977, he was promoted as Junior Pit Boss -- a supervisory position. In 1986 after the Edsa Revolution, Pagcor was named New Pagcor under the administration of then president Corazon Aquino. Malatag became Pit Manager in 1986 and eventually promoted as Casino Shift Manager in 1990. As such he was assigned in three of the 14 Pagcor branches nationwide -- Manila, Para¤aque, and Silahis Intenational Hotel.
The branch manager position was then entrusted to him in 2003 and he has stayed in Davao since then.
In Malatag's 34 years in the casino industry, he has this to say, "Pagcor is a serious business and has its moral responsibiliy to its clientele and the community."
With Mr. Efraim G. Eugenio as its current chairman and CEO, Pagcor is the 4th largest revenue-making agency for the government after Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), with a net income of P40.6 billion in 2007.
"We don't tolerate players na di na umuuwi lalo na pag nakikita namin sa circuit TV na ilang araw na sila sa casino. We remind them not to play and spend beyond their means. Playing is just for fun and what you can afford and we will never allow na masira ang pamilya dahil sa gaming," he said.
"Dabawenyos though are not impulsive gamblers. They know their limits and when to stop," he said.
Alongside Pagcor's moral responsibility is its social commitment to the help the underprivileged and the less fortunate. To date, Pagcor Davao has donated for beneficiaries of 32 groups and non-government organizations like Bantay Bata, SOS Children's Village, Balay Dangupan, LIngap Center, Davao Autism Center Foundation, Davao City Jail's Juvenile Welfare Unit. It has also been involved in outreach programs like medical/dental missions, construction of waiting sheds, "patubig" projects in far-flung barangays.
It has currently launched "Sagip-Musmos" project for poor school children and will soon partner with Davao City Rotary clubs in implementing "Bida (Bata Iwas Sa Droga).
Malatag's goal is to take a direct hand in jumpstarting Pagcor chair's vision of shifting from purely gaming to world-class family oriented entertainment in Davao City and Mindanao as a whole.
Changing Pagcor's corporate image is now part of its move to expand business by banking on other forms of wholesome and world-class entertainment that caters to families with appreciation for arts and culture.
