Casino Planned Inside Camp John Hay
November 2, 2008 by lisa
Filed under business & economy, lifestyle & entertainment
The headline in the city’s Sunday ‘newspaper’ Baguio Midland Courier, of which I have a copy screams “BCDA directors affirm plan to put up CJH gambling den.”
My first reaction, WHAT GOOD NEWS!
My second reaction, Midland could have used the word “casino” as it is shorter but the editors probably want this piece of news to sound as terrible as possible so they used the phrase “gambling den” instead.
“Two members of the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) board of directors allegedly revealed (italics mine) that there is a plan to set up a gambling center inside Camp John Hay, prompting the Baguio Muiltisectoral Group (BMG), an anti-gambling church-led advocacy group to convene Monday afternoon.”
. . .
“The BMG letter invoked a provision of City Resolution 362-1994 which provides that “the BCDA shall ensure that only wholesome, family-oriented entertainment and recreation facilities will be established within Camp John Hay.”
I cannot, as of this writing link up the article as it is not yet in the Midland website, but honestly, all that can be gleaned from rhis headline is that there is rumor that was supposedly confirmed from two UNNAMED BCDA directors that a there are plans for a casino in the former US military recreation facility that was turned over to the Philippine government in 1991, and in turn, awarded to a private consortium led by Fil-Estate and College Assurance Plans for development.
Baguio City, during its heyday as the Philippines No.1 tourist destination had a casino at Pines Hotel and later at Hyatt Terraces Baguio. When the latter was damaged by the 1990 earthquake, and never rebuilt, Baguio lost that one place that actually drew a lot of tourists for its superb facilities and service, as well as the provider up upscale nightly entertainment, like the Gold Mine Disco, the Lobby cafe, and of course, Casino Filipino.
I remember how the city was filled with foreign tourists in the 1980s from the United States, Japan and Taiwan mostly. They loved playing golf during the day and entertaining themselves at the tables in the evening.
There were usually three tour buses parked at Wright Park at a time where 150 persons would spill out and take all the horses, so when we saw them coming, we used to try to reserve our favorites lest they be taken ahead for trail rides by whole families on vacation.
I appreciate how a casino is a major draw for any destination. In fact I do not see it as bad at all, for my stand has always been, like it is the Catholic church’s stand that gambling is amoral (i.e. neither good or bad). What is considered a sin of course is if you are superstitious, greedy or if you steal the money you are playing with, which sins are committed even outside of a casino.
The existence of one actually keeps the place alive at night, and with more people on the road, the city actually becomes a safer place. More people might be able to spot members of those sungkit gangs that are making folks fearful of keeping their windows open at night.
Point No. 1. There is a Lot of Gambling Already Going on in the City.
The Cordillerans simply love to play games of chance. The casino at Poro Point is filled with residents of Baguio and Benguet, and Ilokano and Ibaloi is spoken a lot even in the one in Angeles, Pampanga by all the vegetable dealers who want to “increase their profits” on their way back to the highlands.
- Even a game of skill, like chess, is turned into an occasion for gambling by those denizens of the Igorot Garden at Burnham Park who play all day everyday, gambling even in front of little children who watch them.
- The pusoy at the market is about Php40,000 per kalag (hand) per player, and the bangka (bank/dealer), who is usually a faith healer fresh from a sojourn in Russia or some eastern European country, will bring to the table about Php1.5M for one afternoon.
- There are poker games going on all over the city, and the 2006 Philippine Poker Tour Champion is from Baguio City, a good friend of mine with whom I played nightly for about 9 years while his cousin placed second in 2007.
- There are blind items by Midland columnist of certain political personages and businessmen who are engaged in nightly games of high-stakes poker.
- There was Bingo 2 that was set up on Legarda Road that had all the jueteng cobradores transformed into legitimate booking agents for a while. When that stopped, they went back to the old ways and did the neighborhood rounds where anyone’s Php10 can win Php3,600.
- Then there is the Bingo for money at SM City, and before that, nightly Bingo for money at Scout Hill, run by CJH employees were the tickets were sold at Php300/3tickets/10games, but where the Baguio old timers (will not name named here) would place a winner take all side bet at the rate of Php50/game!
- And more than that, there’s the ‘poor mans casino’ every time the city sponsors or allows a perya or carnaval at Burnham Park or the FVR grounds at Quezon Elementary school, with bingo games with cash prizes, and those involving little guinea pigs entering those numbered holes.
- Even sports are turned into gambling like those who win a pot when they predict the last two digits of the game ending in basketball, or even during a regular billiards game or ping pong match.
- And, of course, when Manny Paquiao has a fight, the Philippines stands still, including its Summer Capital, and heavy betting on the outcome commences.
- Then there are the high stakes mahjongg games played by the city’s ’society women’ and cockfights going on a little off Baguio in Tuba, Benguet (the cockpit owned by one of the city councilors of Baguio) and in Lamtang, which is owned by another old family.
We just...
Yes, Lisa…a Casino in CJH may yield more positive than negative results. Look at how Casino Filipino in Tagaytay City attracts visitors all-year round, moreso during its peak months. It will boost the tourism industry and of course, income generation surely follows.
Lisa… yes to a CASINO at CJH! Your Point #1 well taken by the naysayers i hope. The Folks at City Hall better check their books if they gained anything from having a casinos at Pines Hotel and the Hyatt Terraces. I’m sure the TAXES generated have help their coffers. And yes…only tourists,visitors and the HAVES of Baguio be allowed to enter said casino. The”poor and the miserly” definitely don’t even have business of showing up there. Aaah missing those sic bo, baccarat and craps days with Derek’s dad Lisa. regards.
I think having casinos is a good thing for any city! As long as you can collect the right taxes and maintain peace and order I guess that having a casino is A-OK. As for those who say that it destroys morals, no one is forcing you to go into a casino.
It not only adds tourism but also provides for another center for people to socialize and of course gamble.
we got jueteng, lotto, sweepstakes, bingo and a whole lot of hypocrisy.
Definitely NO TO CASINO in Baguio whether it be in CJH or out of CJH!
Let us stop the further devastation of Baguio in its natural beauty and in its people.
Build entrepreneurs instead!
Yes to casino.
I do not think it will devastate Baguio.
We can build entrepreneurs even if we have one.
Maybe we can build even more entrepreneurs because the city will become richer with tourists.
Hello Lisa:
10 | volt acosta
May 11th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
you have been listening too long. Time to wake up the people again with your insights. You must be working on something really heavy. For your information, a trial run for the casino was done for ten (10) days at the Camp John Hay, but Sobrepena Bob did not approve of it considering that it is one of the conditionalities imposed by the City and that they took into consideration the flak they may receive as they have not been paying up Baguio’s share for the longest time.Heard a lot about the sob stories of Baguio people losing a fortune in their daily forays to the casino in La Union. Kawawa naman sila.Maybe you can write a piece on this.he,he. miss your insights so start writing again. see you and GOD bless you exceeedingly, abundantly!!!!!!!!!!!
11 | lisa
May 11th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Hi Volataire!
Am looking for something new to write about, something positive, and finding none, am riding it out so we do not turn visitors off. Hahaha!
As for a casino, I am not against it. Everyone can complain how it destroys families — it’s not the casinos that destroy, it’s the gamblers.
When Hyatt Casino was still operating before the earthquake, foreign tourists came to Baguio. And yet, Baguio was safe, fun and still wholesome then.
The casino at Poro Point is full of Baguio residents, and that’s just 30 minutes away. With the Baguio traffic, a casino in Camp John Hay will be 20 minutes away.
Hahaha. Ok, maybe I have enough points to write about.
Thanks!
To everyone who has commented thus far, thank you for taking a stand, for or against a casino in Baguio. It is most important that we say what we feel and take a stand on issues every time.
And to Resty, who is so assiduous about finding earlier comments and writings, or keeping copies of newspaper articles published in 2001, I have this to say:
I don’t know if Voltaire, who is one of the coolest evangelists I know (because he does not evangelize — he just leads by example and with such a sunny disposition, too) is for or against a casino in Baguio.
As to that trial run at CJH months ago, I was surprised that there were baccarat tables where there should have been only tournament poker, plus I had no personal knowledge of why it was really stopped so I could not write about it.
But when your ‘revered’ Midland’s headlines scream, “gambling den” and the story obviously is designed to propagate “fear-mongering” then I cannot let this pass. Hahaha!
Then it became time to start writing my “points” on the matter.
How funny it is that, despite my having forgotten about that particular exchange, this current article’s subheadings actually use the word “POINT.”
Well, for one thing, I guess that exchange would be evidence of how I do not waiver regarding my stand on certain issues.
OT, Lisa. Your blog about Baguio is the best there is. You tell it like it is and is not sanitized. It’s like a good book that can be read and re-read. Keep on writing about Baguio.
I think a pro-casino group should also start to make noise. Why do some people impose their morals on others? What do you think? The NO TO CASINO stance is so negative…(hahahaha)!
Anyway, I’ll see you next time I’m home Lis! I miss you. Please say hi to Nico for me too.
Thanks Resty, it is not the lifestyle blog that it started out as, but I guess we have to stop being shallow at a certain point in our lives, especially when the city is in peril.
Hi Marionne,
The tourism professionals, who would normally be the pro-casino group, did not even protest the paradigm shift from tourism to Bautista’s brand of education and Farinas’s commercialism, so how can we expect them to even make a peep now? Hahaha, or should it be huhuhu?
Normally, folks here just wait for fait accompli (def. “a thing accomplished and presumably irreversible;” trans. “tapos na ang lahat”) — and then complain!
Exasperation, Lisa is thy name! Am so tired of all the hypocrisy.
Will tell Nico you said hi, and Marionne, I miss you, too.
Ditto on your comment re: hypocrisy! That’s why Baguio cannot ever be “rescued” from its spiralling fall to insignificance – there are just too many idiots and morons running it. And sad to say, only a few care enough to do something about it. More talkers than doers ( I was going to say actors).
So I say, we go ahead with your fiery plan. Bwahahaha!
I read your “Nevada” post and it feels like it happened a million years ago.
See you soon!
I WILL STAND NO TO CASINO!!!! I have known a lot of businessman and poor farmers who are playing casino often time when I worked in Manila and Pampanga. And if I will see their lifestyle and status now, its worst than before, they have loaned their properties and teir businesses are in trouble now just to finance their Casino lifestyle, families are parted, and many more that I would blame my self the casino and I am calling the Casino as BANK OF NO RETURN. Most of the time when they learn how play casino they are telling its just their LIBANGAN at the end it will be their VICE. They even called me and asking to borrow money for their petrol or fare going home to baguio.
Your point is to promote Tourism which you think its good for the welfare of Baguio. How do we say it would be beneficial to the city of Baguio when it is not Beneficial to the People of Baguio and Benguet.
I’m gonna asked everybody, did we know anybody who get rich of Casino? I think none…..
The best example is our celebrities in the Philippines, what makes them down and let them become poor where in fact they are millionaires before? Its Casino right..
I think the best thing to improved Baguio and Benguet welfare is Christianize ourself and put them in action. Its sad to say that the Philippines is the only Christian Nation in Asia yet we are poor in living.
NO TO CASINO. whoever think of it should better go home to where they came from.What a shame to those who thought of operating one in Baguio. If you want a casino put it in your own home. The one who will profit in the casino are the rich ones. OH, don’t tell me that they are creating jobs for the poor because shame on them for always using the underpriveledge for their own gain.
Can I say shame on you Mayor Bautista for slowly destroying Baguio.I regret having campaign many times for you.
I guess reading each individuals comments and own opinion is always respected. We know that Baguio is one of the most beautiful place in the world. I was born and raise in Baguio and I lived there for 22 years I have seen its rough times, especially during the earthquake, and slowly it began to stand again….Its so funny because when they were planning to build a mall, people were so afraid that they went on protesting against it, but now that the mall is up and running and when I went home for a vacation I met and saw these protesters shopping, drinking coffee at starbucks….what does that mean….
In my opinion having CASINO in a city or inside CJH is not bad, infact it give growth to tourism, it creates job, it gives sustainability to the city..
Think about this: CASINO is a building, a gambling den, what can IT do to people…it attracts, it dazzle, its susceptible, its addictive where the perfume of luck is always in its thin air right?
But have you ever thought that no matter what you build or impose to an individual will always depend on him or her, on how he is going to deal with it.
CASINO is bad when you impose it to minors and children.
Associating the beauty and cleanliness of Baguio will also depend on the individual…what is wrong with us is we depend too much on our officials we blame them when something goes wrong….why don’t we check ourselves and get on with it…
Just a piece of advise let us start cleaning our backyards and move on helping baguio if you want to keep its beauty.
Hi Marionne,
“Spiraling fall into insignificance” — you are so right! But maybe that’s what the residents prefer to prosperity.
The best places in the world do not look, behave or think like Baguio today
Hi Joel & Igorota,
Thank you for taking a stand and giving your reasons therefor.
Hi Gabby,
I agree with so many of your points:
1. “Its so funny because when they were planning to build a mall, people were so afraid that they went on protesting against it” — YUP! So much protest.
2. “Think about this: CASINO is a building … But have you ever thought that no matter what you build or impose to an individual will always depend on him or her, on how he is going to deal with it.”
3. “Just a piece of advise let us start cleaning our backyards and move on helping baguio if you want to keep its beauty.”
And to the latter I will add, let’s clean our facades, too, give ourselves some curb appeal, and stop hanging our laundry — literally — for all to see.
To everyone who will comment here on in, please know that I read all of your comments and appreciate them, but for this post, I try to limit my responses so that it does not look like I’m bloating the popularity of this post. I know it is an article that will receive reactions way after it was published. Keep them coming! It’s YOUR opinion.
hi lisa,
its been a long time that i want to share also ideas and comments to whats happening in baguio. my standing for that casino. i like to have that casino be built in cjh considering all the pros elaborated. But contrary HUWAG NA LANG, because we the lowly native of baguio benguet will never benefit from the “taxes” that will be paid by the casino. i said so, because look whats the style of local government we have. specially how they used money. each department will over estimate budget and at the end of the year if it is not spend all. they say can no longer be re alligned. you know what paghahatian na lang ng deaprtment staff as 14th 15th month pay. thats CORRUPTION in the eyes of people. Look the lifestyle of local government employees compared to an ordinary employee. Come december happy sila kasi puno ang bulsa. its not that i envy. its unfair practice. KAWAWA NAMAN KAMI.
Hi Aljon,
This is how I understand what you are saying — “no to casino because the taxes will never redound to the people because the local government officials are corrupt.”
If that is the case, then we should attempt to remove corrupt officials from their positions, we should expose the corruption in the Baguio government. It looks like these people are not even subtle about lining their pockets with money that should not be theirs.
The problem is not the casino then. Using the same line of thought, then we can also say “let us not collect business permits from the stores in Baguio because the local officials pocket the money.”
And somehow I feel you are complaining about “unfair practice” — so what is this then, that some are getting and some are not so it’s unfair?
Or by unfair practice to do you mean that people should not be doing this at all. Because if this is the case, then maybe you mean this is ILLEGAL and IMMORAL.
“EVerything is permissable but not everything is beneficial” no need to elaborate this statement from the Bible. I don’t wanna gain the whole world and lose my soul…my choice, my strong conviction.
Casino is a lure! nothing but a lure that slowly reduces oneself to a lower rank. If anyone claims to have INTEGRITY in himself then you should watch out your stance on casino as it strips you little by little till you find yourself with no dignity at all no matter who you are in the society. Just the mere thought of supporting casino in Baguio is unleashing one’s inability to surmount the lure of the material world. One’s worth is slowly taken away starting from his outlook and definition of development inflicting further a flaw on his morale and integrity. Where do you stand my dear?
Marc
Bemco Riyadh
Marc,
I do not feel diminished by a casino, as nothing can diminish me unless I allow it to.