(FILE) A man leaving the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office headquarters in Mandaluyong City. INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Friday asked Congress to review their mandatory contributions to other government agencies, saying some of these contributions are not even health-related.
During the deliberations on the proposed 2022 budget of the PCSO, legislative liaison officer Atty. Gay Alvor pointed out that several laws are currently in place providing for the mandatory contribution of the agency to other government offices.
But Alvor said that aside from these mandatory contributions, they also have to provide support to the Malasakit Centers, among others.
“We are appealing na sana i-consider ito ng Congress kasi lumalawak ng lumalawak ang ating Malasakit Centers pati ang pangangailangan ng funding ng Universal Health Care Law pero napakarami pa ring mandatory contributions ng PCSO,” Alvor said.
“Halimbawa, nagbibigay kami sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED), sa Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), sa Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and some of these mandatary contributions are not even health related,” she added.
According to PCSO’s website, there are 15 laws providing for the mandatory contribution of the agency to other government offices.
This includes Republic Act No. 6847 which requires PCSO to allot six sweepstakes draws as contributions to the PSC while Republic Act No. 7722 states that one percent of lotto gross sales shall be given to the CHED.
Executive Order No. 218, meanwhile, states that a P1 billion standby fund shall be allotted for the operations and programs of the PDEA.
“These special laws have been enacted way before the current Congress and so we appeal to the current congress to take time sana na i-review natin ang mandatory contributions,” Alvor said.
Alvor said PCSO would like to focus on non-COVID-19 related illnesses, as instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Masyado na tayong nag focus sa COVID pero sa report ng NEDA lumalabas na hindi COVID ang number one cause ng mortality. Nandyan pa rin ang common illnesses,” Alvor said.
“Ito sana yung gusting tutukan ng PCSO at hindi kami makagalaw because nag-confluence na po, nagsama-sama yung ibat-ibang batas na nire-require ang PCSO na magbigay ng pondo,” she added.