PAGCOR Photography Contest Offers P1.6 Million In Prizes

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is reviving its nationwide photography contest and offering over P1.6 million prizes for both armature and professional photographers. 

The PAGCOR photography contest will formally begin on February 15th, 2023, and aims to reward both newbies and seasoned photographers with generous cash prizes. PAGCOR Assistant Vice President of Corporate Communications Carmelita Valdez told media sources that this contest would give photographers a chance to showcase the beauty of the Philippines.

Valdez stated that this contest will also help boost tourism in the country as many economic sectors are still recovering from the global pandemic of 2019

What IS PAGCOR?

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, aka PAGCOR, is the gaming regulator in the Philippines for domestic casinos, sportsbooks, racebooks, and poker rooms. PAGCOR was created by presidential decree PD No. 1067-a as a government agency to enforce regulations and issue gaming licensing to government-owned and private casinos and other gambling endeavors.

PAGCOR was first created in 1975 and still, to this day, operates as the sole regulator for the gambling industry. PAGCOR is also tasked with generating revenue for the government and disbursing funds for disaster relief. 

Are Online Casinos Legal In The Philippines?

Yes, online casinos in the Philippines are legal under current gambling laws if they operate from a trusted gambling jurisdiction. During PAGCOR issues licenses for offshore operators from the Philippines, those operators cannot offer online casino operations to Philippine residents.

Photography Contest Details

The contest will be divided into two categories conventional and mobile. Each contestant can submit up to two entries per category, but submissions must be sent by July 31st. 

The photo contest is the fifth time that PAGCOR will hold the competition since its conception in 2013. There will be 12 grand winners for the conventional category and 12 for the great winners. Each of the 12 conventional winners will receive P80,000, while the 12 mobile winners will receive P35,000.