About 11% of Filipinos work abroad and an estimated 35,000 are now employed in Macau. With the rampant growth that Macau is experiencing, thousands more jobs are expected to be created in the gaming and catering industries as well as in domestic service, with many positions being filled by workers from the Philippines. There is now news that two foreign companies are interested in casino projects in the economic zone of the Subic Bay Freeport area, which could provide additional employment at home.

Two casinos in Subic Bay were closed last year and the state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) wants to replace them with as many as four new casino leases. Most foreign tourists to Subic Bay come to gamble and the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority wants to bring in gamblers from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, China and even Macau. According to the Metropolitan Authority, one group interested in constructing a casino in Subic Bay is a consortium of architectural firms from Macau and the other is a Hong Kong based cruise ship operator.

The latter may anchor a floating casino with 120 suites offshore whilst its land-based casino is being built. A third casino operator, Orient Pearl of Hong Kong, will now run the previously closed Subic Diamond Casino. Its scheduled re-opening for the Chinese New Year in February had to be postponed owing to paperwork delays. If the new casinos are built then Subic Bay would be guaranteed more international flights, as well as additional tourists brought in by the cruise lines. (E-04.11.07)

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