Arroyo disapproves Casino University

In thumbing down the proposed "first casino university with a bachelor's course in game management operations" of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has clearly revealed that she did not favor the idea.

"I don't want to cultivate a culture of gambling," Arroyo said in her weekly radio interview, adding that she told Pagcor chair Efraim Genuino on Monday that she would not even allow the putting up of additional casinos.

She said existing casinos are there only because they are allowed by law.

Genuino last week publicly revealed detailed plans to put up a casino university to be called the Pagcor Academy which can expand the current vocational level of gaming operations skills into a sector level management operation, specifying that open courses leading to bachelor's degree in casino operations and management would be offered for casino development.

Arroyo said she had already expressed to Genuino how she felt about the plan of the Pagcor before they had formally presented it, and that she reacted publicly after reading of the specific plans in the newspapers.

The same casino university plan has been receiving similarly strong opposition from the militant organisations and the church officials since Monday.