Melco Foundation donates US$395k in equipment to Philippine Red Cross

Melco Resorts (Philippines) Foundation Corp has donated PHP24.8 million (US$395,000) worth of medical and non-medical equipment to the Philippine Red Cross Cavite Chapter, to support the establishment of a new blood centre. The equipment is intended for a new facility at the Vermosa Complex in Imus, Cavite province, south of Metro Manila, according to a Wednesday announcement from the country’s gaming regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (Pagcor). The donation was formally handed over on October 13 at City of Dreams Manila, a casino resort operated by a unit of Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. The ceremony was attended by Pagcor chairman and chief executive, Alejandro Tengco, Melco Resorts (Philippines) Foundation chairman and president, Clarence Chung, and Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon. The donation includes blood bank refrigerators, platelet shakers, blood mixers, serology machines, an automatic blood grouping analyser, ultra-low-temperature freezers, centrifuges and microscopes. Other equipment provided includes a generator, blood donation couches and beds, computers and air-conditioning units. Mr Chung said the contribution reflected the foundation’s commitment to supporting healthcare initiatives benefiting local communities. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Philippine Red Cross in its mission to provide critical healthcare to communities in Cavite and nearby areas,” he stated. Mr Tengco said cooperation between the government, private sector and humanitarian organisations was important in delivering assistance to communities across the nation. “At Pagcor, we value partnerships that create tangible and lasting benefits for the Filipino people,” he said. Under Pagcor regulations, integrated resort licensees are required to allocate a portion of their foundation funds to community programmes, including initiatives related to healthcare, education and other public services. Mr Gordon thanked Pagcor and the Melco Foundation for the contribution, saying it would help support the humanitarian work of the Philippine Red Cross.