Increase pay of STL bet collectors, PCSO told

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The provincial board on Monday asked the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to restore the 10-percent commission of Small Town Lottery (STL) bet collectors or “cabo,” who it described were the “real workhorses” of the state-run numbers game.

During their regular session, the board members said commissions were cut to 5 percent when a new STL franchise holder took over the numbers game in Pangasinan province in January.

Board Member Raul Sison, chair of the board’s committee on games and amusement, said the PCSO, through STL bet collectors, was able to earn so it could buy medicines, wheelchairs and ambulances for its charity work.

Earning more

“We cannot deny that the bet collectors are financially challenged and are hoping they will be given a chance (to earn more),” said Board Member Jeremy Rosario.

But Editha Romero, branch manager of PCSO in Urdaneta City, said bet collectors in the city and other towns in Pangasinan still receive their 10-percent commission.

The board members insisted that had not been the case and asked Romero to inform the PCSO central office about this.

Sison also asked for a review of the STL franchise holder’s monthly remittances of P117 million or P3.9 million daily.

Quoting reports from the PCSO, Sison said the STL operator turned over P554,797,000 to the PCSO from January to June this year. Of the amount, P27,739,000 was paid to the collectors.

Sison said the actual collection in Pangasinan could run up to P10 million to P15 million daily. —Yolanda Sotelo