Congress urged to review laws on PCSO mandatory contributions to other offices

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Friday urged Congress to look into the laws requiring PCSO to make mandatory contributions to other agencies and offices, noting that some of these are not even health-related.

PCSO legislative liaison officer Gay Alvor mentioned that the office is making mandatory contributions to certain agencies such as the Commission on Higher Education, the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

"Halimbawa, nagbibigay kami sa CHED, sa PSC, PDEA and some of these mandatory contributions are not even health-related," Alvor said during the budget deliberations.

(We are providing contributions to CHED, PSC, PDEA and some of these are not even health-related.)

"These special laws have been enacted way before the current Congress and so we appeal to the Congress to take time sana na i-review natin ang mandatory contributions," Alvor added.

According to Alvor, the PCSO also has to provide support to Malasakit Centers, the one-stop shops where indigent patients can efficiently access financial medical assistance from PCSO, PhilHealth, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Alvor mentioned that amid the pandemic, the Office of the President has directed the agency to focus its scarce resources to providing hospitalization and medical assistance for non-COVID-related diseases.

"Ito 'yung mga dialysis, chemo, hospitalization assistance, request for surgery and request for assisted devices," Alvor said.

(These include dialysis, chemo, hospitalization assistance, request for surgery and request for assisted devices.)

"Ito sana 'yung gustong tutukan ng PCSO at hindi kami makagalaw because nag-confluence na po, nagsama-sama 'yung iba't-ibang batas na nire-require ang PCSO na magbigay ng pondo," she added.

(PCSO wants to focus on this. There are already many laws requiring us to provide funds to agencies.) —KBK, GMA News