Casino Plus supports Brigada Eskwela, brings color to over 5,000 Students’ Lives

by Info @Brand Zone | April 10, 2025

TURNOVER CEREMONY: (from left) Mr. Rommel C. Narciso (AVP for External Affairs), Mr. Jose Miguel De La Rosa (VP for Admin & Finance), Michael Angelo Horfilla (Stotsenberg Leisure Park and Hotel Corp. Corporate Social Responsibility Director), Helen A. Tumang (Concepcion South ES Principal), Karen P. Osorio (Benigno S. Aquino Jr. ES Principal), Chevy Tanglao (Mabalacat Community HS Teacher), Sheryll Manguerra (Stotsenberg Leisure Park and Hotel Corp. CDC Compliance Senior Manager)

Clark, Pampanga - As the current school year comes to a close, preparations for the next are already underway. Through the spirit of Brigada Eskwela, Casino Plus, one of the country’s leading responsible gaming platform duly licensed by PAGCOR in partnership with the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) is taking proactive steps to ensure that learning spaces are ready to welcome students anew, supporting 5,250 learners across public schools in Pampanga and Tarlac.

Under Casino Plus’ education and financial literacy Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar, the initiative brings together representatives from CDC and participating schools—united in a shared commitment to empower and invest in the future of Filipino youth.

“This humble contribution aims to add color to the lives of thousands of students—color that represents hope, opportunity, and a brighter future. This was made possible through our Color Champions (employees of Casino Plus), our partners at the Clark Development Corporation and our partner schools who continue to help us turn small acts into lasting impact,” said Michael Angelo A. Horfilla, Director for Corporate Social Responsibility, Casino Plus.

For many students, a well-maintained classroom is more than just a place to learn. It is where confidence is built, dreams are nurtured, and futures begin to take shape. Through this initiative, Casino Plus brought meaningful support to 5,250 students across six (6) public schools, contributing ₱999,957.00 to help create safe, comfortable, and inspiring spaces where these dreams can grow. In addition, four (4) electric fan units were donated to support graduation activities.

The beneficiary schools include:

• San Pedro Elementary School

• Anupul Elementary School

• Dapdap Resettlement Elementary School

• Concepcion South Elementary School

• Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Elementary School

• Mabalacat Community High School

Held at the CSR Office of the Clark Development Corporation, the turnover ceremony reflected more than just a collaboration as it symbolized a deepening partnership grounded in shared values and a common goal of uplifting communities through education. 

This initiative underscores the growing and enduring relationship between Casino Plus and CDC, one built on trust, collaboration, and a shared vision of nation-building. Together, both organizations continue to champion programs that empower the youth and strengthen the foundations of local communities.

Pag-IBIG Fund approves benefits package for repatriated OFWs under PBBM directive

by Info @Brand Zone | April 6, 2026

File / DMW

In adherence to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide timely and meaningful assistance to overseas Filipino workers affected by the conflict in the Middle East, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, who also chairs the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees, announced the approval of a special Pag-IBIG Fund benefits package for repatriated OFWs, allowing them to access their savings and receive temporary relief on housing loan payments as they recover and rebuild their lives back home.

Under the approved benefits package, qualified OFW members may apply to withdraw up to 100% of their Pag-IBIG Regular Savings, including their employee share, employer share, and dividends earned, even before its 20-year maturity; withdraw up to 100% of their Modified Pag-IBIG II or MP2 Savings, inclusive of returns earned, even before its 5-year maturity; or avail of a 3-month moratorium on Pag-IBIG Housing Loan payments, free from interest and penalties, with the loan term extended by three months.

The package forms part of Pag-IBIG Fund’s response to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide timely and meaningful assistance to OFWs affected by the conflict in the Middle East.

“In adherence to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., Pag-IBIG Fund stands ready to extend practical and immediate assistance to our OFWs affected by the situation in the Middle East,” Aliling said. “Through this benefits package, qualified members may access their Pag-IBIG savings and receive temporary relief on housing loan payments, giving them more room to provide for their families and meet urgent needs during this difficult time.”

As of February 2026, Pag-IBIG Fund has 891,427 registered OFW members in the Middle East, including 86,234 MP2 savers and 40,024 housing loan borrowers, with the largest numbers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. These approved relief measures are intended to help affected members meet urgent family and household expenses through early access to their savings, while also giving qualified housing loan borrowers breathing room from monthly payments as they recover and begin rebuilding their lives in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene C. Acosta said Pag-IBIG Fund is ready to deliver the approved financial assistance package in a manner that is prompt, accessible, and responsive to the needs of affected OFW members, in support of the government’s broader assistance and reintegration efforts for them.

“We recognize that for this assistance to be truly responsive, it must be made available to qualified members in a manner that is fast, clear, and accessible,” Acosta said. “That is why we will make applications for these benefits available online through Virtual Pag-IBIG, while also ensuring that our more than 200 branches, OFW Centers, and service offices are ready to assist members and their families. In doing so, Pag-IBIG Fund also supports the assistance and reintegration efforts being carried out by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for affected OFWs. Our goal is to make sure that qualified OFW members can turn to Pag-IBIG Fund for immediate and practical support as they recover.”

Pag-IBIG Fund said members may access its services from Monday to Friday in office-based branches and from Tuesday to Saturday in mall-based branches, as well as through its digital service channel, Virtual Pag-IBIG, even as it supports the government’s energy conservation measures.

PCSO to deploy landing craft vessel to improve patient mobility in Batanes

by Info @Brand Zone | March 30, 2025

Basco, Batanes – In line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to make healthcare accessible for everyone, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has announced its plan to provide a landing craft vessel (LCV) for Batanes to improve patient transport across the province’s island municipalities, with deployment scheduled later this year.

PCSO General Manager Melquiades “Mel” Robles described the LCV as a “mini RORO” that allows ambulances to be loaded directly onto the vessel.

The LCV is intended to support patient mobility, enabling the transport of patients, responders, and essential medical supplies between islands such as Sabtang and Basco. Designed to directly access shorelines, it will allow patients to be transferred more efficiently to healthcare facilities, particularly in emergency situations.

“This means the patient can remain inside the ambulance from the point of transport until arrival at the hospital, without the need for repeated transfers,” he said.

“Direkta natin silang madadala sa pinakamalapit na pagamutan—isang tunay na door-to-door na serbisyong medikal,” he added.

Robles said the initiative aims to address mobility challenges in geographically isolated areas, where access to healthcare is often affected by sea conditions and limited transport options.

The LCV is set to be deployed to provinces with island municipalities later this year, including Batanes, as part of efforts to strengthen inter-island healthcare access.

The initiative will complement PCSO’s existing support through the provision of patient transport vehicles to local government units, which serve communities on land but are limited in reaching areas separated by water.

The need for improved patient transport was underscored during a medical and dental mission conducted on March 26 and 27 in Sabtang and Basco, where PCSO delivered consultations, free medicines, and diagnostic services to hundreds of beneficiaries across the province.

The mission also highlighted the use of modern medical technology, including a portable, AI-powered X-ray system that enabled on-site screening for tuberculosis and other chest-related conditions. While such innovations bring faster diagnosis closer to remote communities, the need for reliable transport remains critical to ensure patients requiring further evaluation can access appropriate healthcare facilities.

Batanes, with a population of approximately 18,000, is composed of 6 municipalities and 29 barangays, with communities separated by sea, making access to timely healthcare a continuing challenge.

Local officials welcomed the initiative, noting that improved inter-island transport is crucial in ensuring timely medical care for residents of remote communities.

The deployment of the LCV forms part of efforts to strengthen healthcare access in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs).