AN ACT GRANTING THE PHILIPPINE JAI-ALAI AND AMUSEMENT CORPORATION A FRANCHISE TO OPERATE, CONSTRUCT AND MAINTAIN A FRONTON FOR BASQUE PELOTA AND SIMILAR GAMES OF SKILL IN THE GREATER MANILA AREA.

• Number: Presidential Decree No. 810
• Sections: 10

Preamble

WHEREAS, by virtue of the provisions of Commonwealth Act

numbered 485 the franchise to operate and maintain a fronton for the

Basque pelota and similar games of skill in the City of Manila, shall

expire on October, 1975 whereupon the ownership of the land, buildings

and improvements used in the said game will be transferred without

payment to the government by operation of law;

WHEREAS, there is a pressing need not only to further

develop the game as a sport and amusement for the general public but.

also to exploit its full potential in support of the government's

objectives and development programs;

WHEREAS, Basque pelota is a game of international renown,

the maintenance and promotion of which will surely assist the tourism

industry of the country;

WHEREAS, the tourism appeal of the game will be enhanced

only with the government's support and inducement in developing the

sport to a level at par with international standards;

WHEREAS, once such tourism appeal is developed, the same

will serve as a stable and expanding base for revenue generation for the

government's development projects.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution,

hereby decree as follows:

Section 1

SECTION 1. Any provision of law to the contrary

notwithstanding, there is hereby granted to the Philippine Jai-Alai and

Amusement Corporation, a corporation duly organized and registered under

the laws of the Philippines, hereinafter called the grantee or its

successors, for a period of twenty-five years from the approval of this

Act, extendable for another twenty-five years without the necessity of

another franchise, the right, privilege and authority to construct,

operate and maintain a court for Basque Pelota (including the games of pala,

raqueta, cestapunta, remonte and mano) within the greater

Manila area, establish branches thereof for booking purposes and hold or

conduct Basque pelota games therein with bettings either directly or by

means of electric and/or computerized totalizator.

The games to be conducted by the grantee shall be under the

supervision of the Games and Amusements Board, hereinafter referred to

as the Board, which shall enforce the laws, rules and regulations

governing Basque pelota as provided in Commonwealth Act numbered four

hundred and eighty-five, as amended, and all the officials of the game

and pelotaris therein shall be duly licensed as such by the Board.

Section 2

SEC. 2. The grantee or its duly authorized agent may

offer, take or arrange bets within or outside the place, enclosure or

court where the Basque pelota games are held: Provided, That bets

offered, taken or arranged outside the place, enclosure or court where

the games are held, shall be offered, taken or arranged only in places

duly licensed by the corporation, Provided, however, That the

same shall be subject to the supervision of the Board. No person other

than the grantee or its duly authorized agents shall take or arrange

bets on any pelotari or on the game, or maintain or use a totalizator or

other device, method or system to bet on any pelotari or on the game

within or without the place, enclosure or court where the games are held

by the grantee. Any violation of this section shall be punished by a

fine of not more than two thousand pesos or by imprisonment of not more

than six months, or both in the discretion of the Court. If the offender

is a partnership, corporation, or association, the criminal liability

shall devolve upon its president, directors or any other officials

responsible for the violation.

Section 3

SEC. 3. The grantee shall provide mechanical and/or

computerized devices, namely: a) electric totalizator; b) machine

directly connected to a computer in a display board, for the sale of

tickets, including, those sold from the off-court stations; c) modern

sound system and loud speakers; d) facilities that will bring safety,

security, comfort and convenience to the public; e) modern

intercommunication devices; and f) such other facilities, devices and

instruments for clean, honest and orderly Basque pelota games, within

three years from the approval of this Act.

The Board shall

assign its auditors and/or inspectors to supervise and regulate the

placing of bets, proper computation of dividends and the distribution of

wager funds.

Section 4

SEC. 4. The total wager fund or gross receipts from the

sale of betting tickets will be apportioned as follows: eighty-five per

centum (85%) shall be distributed in the form of dividends among the

holders of "win" or "place" number or holders of the winning combination

or grouping of numbers as the case may be. The remaining balance of

fifteen per centum (15%) shall be distributed as follows: eleven and one

half per centum (11 ½%) shall be set aside as the commission fee of the

grantee, and three and one-half per centum (3 ½%) thereof shall be set

aside and alloted to any special health, educational, civic, cultural,

charitable, social welfare, sports, and other similar projects as may be

directed by the President. The receipts from betting corresponding to

the fraction of ten centavos eliminated from the dividends paid to the

winning tickets, commonly known as breakage, shall also be set aside for

the above-named special project.

Section 5

SEC. 5. The provision of any existing law to the contrary

notwithstanding, the grantee is hereby authorized to hold Basque pelota

games (including the games of pala, requeta, cestapunta, remonte

and mano) on all days of the week except Sundays and official

holidays.

Section 6

SEC. 6. The provisions of Commonwealth Act numbered four

hundred and eighty-five as amended, shall be deemed incorporated herein,

provided that the provisions of this Act shall take precedence over the

provisions thereof and all other laws, executive orders and regulations

which are inconsistent herewith.

Section 7

SEC. 7. The grantee shall not lease, transfer, grant the

usufruct of, sell or assign this franchise permit, or the rights or

privileges acquired thereunder to any person, firm, company, corporation

or other commercial or legal entity, nor merge with any other person,

company or corporation organized for the same purpose, without the

previous approval of the President of the Philippines.

Section 8

SEC. 8. For the purposes of this franchise, the grantee is

herein authorized to make use of the existing fronton, stadium and

facilities located along Taft Avenue, City of Manila, belonging to the

government by virtue of the provisions of Commonwealth Act numbered four

hundred and eighty-five.

Section 9

SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of October, in the

year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.

(Sgd.)

FERDINAND E. MARCOS

President

Republic of the Philippines