PCSO estimates P250M in Lotto revenue loss due to suspension

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) estimated its revenue loss from lotto operations to P250 million after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the suspension of its gaming activities.

“Four days [of suspension] po is around P250 million…That’s only Lotto,” PCSO General Manager Royina Garma said in a press conference when asked how much revenue the agency could have collected during the four-day suspension of its gaming operations.

READ: PCSO suspends gaming activities; execs may appeal to Duterte

PCSO Gen. Manager Royina Garma. PHOTO by RYAN LEAGOGO / INQUIRER.net

Duterte’s suspension order led to the closure of more than 30,000 gaming outlets since Saturday.

The President, however, lifted the suspension of PCSO’s lottery operations Tuesday night.

READ: Lotto back; probe of PCSO to focus on corruption

“Naging napaka-positive naman po ang pagtanggap namin sa pagpapahinto niya dahil sinamantala namin ang pagkakataong ito para i-review lahat po ng proseso ng mga palaro po ng PCSO,” Garma said.

“Ang una po niyang (Duterte) in-allow na ibalik po [ay] ang Lotto dahil po napagaralan namin, kasama po ang board, na this game is very transparent and may mga safety nets na nakalagay po sa ating proseso at ito po’y hiningi namin na ibalik at kami po’y nagpapasalamat at ibinalik po ang Lotto,” she added.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier said that others games like the Small-Town Lottery (STL), Keno, and Peryahan ng Bayan (PNB) remain suspended “pending the investigation of illegal activities and corrupt practices related thereto until the Office of the President evaluates the results of said probe.” /je