PCSO evaluating 35 provinces for expanded STL operations

State-run Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Sunday said it is in the process of evaluating 35 more provinces with pending applications to operate the government's expanded Small Town Lottery (STL) program.

"There are additional 35 areas still unsigned with AACs (Authorized Agent Corporations) that are presently being evaluated by the STIL-Supervision and Monitoring Group," PCS Chairman Jose Jorge Corpuz said in an emailed statement.

"After that, we can say that the whole country is now with STL," he added.

Should the 35 pending AAC applications be approved, PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan said this would provide assistance in the agency's revenue collection, in line with the order of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Duterte said he wants to get higher proceeds from STL operations, after the government found that only 10 to 15 percent from the numbers game's revenues were remitted to the PCSO under the previous administration.

"Sa ngayon meron tayong 18 operators, may buwis na po iyan. Ang nire-remit lang nila ay 10 to 15 percent of supposed collection na dapat ay 100 percent. Noong nakaraang taon mga P4 billion lang nakolekta natin dyan. Noong panahon ng jueteng walang nakokolekta kahit isang kusing," Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguire II said in January.

With expanded operations, the PCSO said there will be 56 AACs, which is seen to post revenues of up to P27 billion this year.

"Our actions are part of the previous arrangement on instruction of the President for us to produce money for this government for charitable services,"PCSO's Balutan said.

The following are the areas currently being evaluated:

• NCR: Western District of Manila
• CAR: Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Apayao
• Region 1: Ilocos Sur
• Region 2: Batanes and Quirino
• Region 3: Aurora
• Region 4B: Palawan and Romblon
• Region 5: Catanduanes and Masbate
• Region 6: Capiz and Guimaras
• Region 7: Siquijor and Cebu City
• Region 8: Eastern Samar, Western Samar, and Biliran
• Region 9: Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay
• Region 10: Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental
• Region 11: Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Compostella Valley and Davao Occidental
• Region 12: Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani
• ARMM: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Island in CARAGA; Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi

"The PCSO wants STL translated into concrete gains by providing serbisyo, trabaho at laro para sa mga ordinaryong mamamayang Pilipino," Balutan said. —Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/ALG, GMA News