AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The gambling capital of the world, Macau, donated $630,000 for the relief operations in Yolanda-hit areas in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday.
“The Government of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) is truly overwhelmed by the devastation caused by typhoon Haiyan that swept through the Philippines early this month, which unfortunately led to so much suffering,” Macau said in a message of sympathy conveyed by the DFA.
“On behalf of the Government and the people of the Macau SAR, we would like to contribute five million patacas (US$630,000) towards disaster relief operations. The Government of the Macau will continue to follow the situation in the affected regions and extend, once again, our sympathy and solidarity to the local Filipino community,” it said.
DFA said that the donation will be remitted to the Foreign Donation Account of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Macau has as much as $38-billion revenue from casinos alone in 2012, DFA said. Macau surpasses the popular gambling centers Las Vegas in the United States and Singapore by a wide margin.
Entertainment and tourism are also big contributors to the revenues of Macau with the latest event being Manny Pacquiao’s bout against Brandon Rios dubbed the “Clash in Cotai.”
Macau Chief Executive Chui Sai On personally gave the donation to Philippine Consul General to Macau Danilo Ibayan on Thursday.
The DFA said that there are some 18,000 Overseas Filipino Workers in Macau.
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