HAPI Jockey Club, Inc. holds a 25-year franchise to construct, operate and maintain racetracks for horse racing in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna and Cavite, granted under Republic Act No. 116491. The company said the legislative franchise was formally approved and signed into law on March 8, 20221.
The franchise covers a new thoroughbred racetrack in Padre Garcia, Batangas, owned and operated by HAPI Jockey Club, Inc. and to be known as the Philippine Jockey Club1. The company's officers named in the announcement were Chairman Oliver "Jojo" Velasquez, Vice Chairman and Treasurer Engr. Elmer de Leon, President Raymond Puyat and Corporate Secretary and Director Manny Viray1.
In February 2024 the company announced what it described as a modest investment from Leonardo "Sandy" Javier, Jr., the incumbent Vice Governor of the Province of Leyte and a horseman it called multi-awarded1. Javier is also the owner and founder of Andok's Litson Corp. and has been active in the horseracing and breeding industry for the past 35 years, having bred champions including Strong Material, Wind Blown, Empire King and Magna Carta1.
"Hapi Jockey Club, Inc. is thrilled to announce a modest investment from multi-awarded horseman and incumbent Vice Governor of the Province of Leyte, Leonardo "Sandy" Javier, Jr."
The announcement did not state the size of the investment, the terms attached to it, or Javier's resulting stake in the company1. No construction timetable, opening date or cost for the Padre Garcia track has been reported1. The franchise was signed into law on March 8, 2022; the announcement of the Javier investment was published on February 9, 20241.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Franchise law | Republic Act No. 116491 |
| Signed into law | March 8, 20221 |
| Franchise term | 25 years1 |
| Provinces covered | Batangas, Laguna, Cavite1 |
| Track location | Padre Garcia, Batangas1 |
| Track name | Philippine Jockey Club1 |
| Operator | HAPI Jockey Club, Inc.1 |
What it means for players
The franchise adds a licensed operator and a planned venue to Philippine horse racing, a sport where betting runs through pari-mutuel pools at racetracks rather than through the standalone online operators that dominate other segments. For punters in Batangas, Laguna and Cavite, the practical effect is that a new track is authorized in their region, but nothing in the announcement indicates when races might be held there or what betting products would be offered.
The grant sits with a national legislative franchise rather than a gaming regulator, so the licensing picture for this operator differs from that of casinos and online betting sites covered by the regulators and licensing framework. Anyone checking whether a specific track or betting outlet is authorized should look at the franchise and the operator named on it.
The investment by a sitting provincial vice governor also puts a public official on the ownership side of a racing business, a detail relevant to how the venture is viewed locally. No information has been reported on how the investment was structured or whether it required any regulatory clearance.
For visitors and expats, the announcement changes nothing about where betting is currently available in the Philippines; it concerns a track that has not been reported as built or open. General rules on who may gamble and where remain as set out in the Philippines guide.
What happens next
No next steps have been reported. The announcement gave no construction schedule, no target opening date and no indication of when the Philippine Jockey Club track in Padre Garcia might begin racing1.
Sources1 sources
- Javier invests in PH Jockey Club - Manila Standard, manilastandard.net
