Palace leaves review of laws on PCSO’s mandatory contributions to Congress

Malacañang is leaving it up to Congress to review laws requiring the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to provide mandatory contributions to various government agencies, following the state lottery firm’s admission that it is now running out of funds to help indigent patients because of the compulsory funds it needs to shell out.

In an interview over state-run dzRB radio, Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. acknowledged that the PCSO’s primary mission is to provide financial assistance to cash-strapped Filipinos for their medical needs through funds generated from lotteries, sweepstakes and other similar activities.

However, he said PCSO is likewise required to allot portions of its revenues to specific government agencies in accordance with the law.

Because there are already laws in place on how PCSO should allocate its resources, Coloma said it will be Congress’ task to review the existing legislation and see if there are other sources of funds that could be tapped to augment the budget of the government agencies currently helped by the state lottery firm.

“[D]apat po ang tukuyin dito ay ang pagpapasya ng lehislatura sa pamamagitan ng pagsusuri dito sa patakarang ito. Kung dapat nga ba na patuloy pang ibawas sa mga kinikita ng PCSO ang mga kasalukuyang mandatory sharing ng PCSO revenue, o baka po mayroong ibang maaaring pagkuhanan ng mga pondong ito para naman madagdagan ‘yung halagang inilalaan para sa charity assistance, lalo na po ‘yung patungkol sa financial assistance for hospitalization at medical expenses,” he said.

A report by the Philippine Star last week quoted PCSO chair Ireneo Maliksi as saying that the agency is now running out of funds to help the growing number of indigent patients who turn to it for assistance because of the mandatory contributions it provides to other government entities.

“What most people do not know is that we are running out of funds. Our guarantee letter is [now] like issuing post-dated checks,” he said at the turnover of new ambulances in Albay.

At least 15 laws mandate PCSO to give a specific share of their revenues to government entities. Among these are Republic Act 7722 requiring the state lottery firm to give one percent of gross lottery sales to the Commission on Higher Education, RA 7835 requiring the allocation of 10 percent of the Charity Fund to the National Shelter Program, and RA 8175 requiring PCSO to give 10 percent of its net income for the Crop Insurance Program. — Xianne Arcangel/BM, GMA News