The monumental task of overcoming COVID-19 has meant that every little bit of help truly counts for a lot. While some casino operators have focused on the devastating financial impacts they are absorbing, the casinos of Manila have emphasized what they are doing to help the Philippines.
On March 26, Okada Manila announced they would be donating a total of P50 million ($980,000), split between the Lung Center of the Philippines and the Philippine Heart Center.
In response to our medical frontliners’ growing need for support in preventing the spread of COVID-19, the Okada Foundation has pledged to donate Php25 million to the Lung Center of the Philippines and another Php25 million to the Philippine Heart Center. pic.twitter.com/AP43BcdqjP
— Okada Manila (@okadamanila) March 26, 2020
City of Dreams Manila also showed their generous side, donating P50 million worth of food to areas under strict quarantine. “We are heeding the call to lend a helping hand in mitigating the economic situation of those most in need during this temporary COVID-19 crisis. Hand in hand through the spirit of bayanihan, we’re one with the government and other private sectors as we do our part in combatting this pandemic,” City of Dreams Manila’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Benning said.
In the spirit of Bayanihan, your COD family lends a helping hand to those in need right now. Through our combined efforts, we can overcome COVID-19 together.
WE’RE WITH YOU THROUGH IT ALL. pic.twitter.com/kOrkXKIFpD
— City of Dreams Manila (@cityofdreamsPH) March 21, 2020
This comes just a day after the number of COVID-19 cases in the country climbed to 707, but a lack of testing has many speculating the number could be far higher. 45 have died, while 28 have shown a full recovery.
Earlier in the week, Bloomberry, the operator of Solaire Resort & Casino, announced they would donate P60 million ($1.18 million) worth of personal protective equipment (PPE) and n95 masks to the Department of health. The shipment is expected to arrive next week and will be distributed to front line medical staff. They’re also working on shipping 100,000 COVID-19 test kits from China and South Korea to the Philippines.
On March 24, Resorts World Manila joined in on the generosity, also pledging P51 million ($1 million) worth of donations to front liners and poor families. This donation was also made up of PPE, but also terhmal scanners.
All of this generosity, which really only represents a small fraction of each operators gross gaming revenue (GGR), still makes a stark contrast with the Nevada casino industry. As U.S. federal lawmakers scramble to finalize their bailout bill, lobby groups are focusing on how casinos and their employees need to get help, rather than how the industry can help the country.
