MANILA, Philippines — Senator Teofisto Guingona III recommended on Thursday sweeping changes on how requests for ambulances by various agencies, local governments and individuals are approved by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
Guingona made the recommendations during a Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the alleged anomalous use and disbursement of PCSO funds. “There is a need to change the requirements in approving the granting of ambulances,” he said.
Guingona also questioned the P150 million intelligence fund requested by the PCSO for six months in January 4, 2010. Guingona commented that the amount requested was equivalent to the intelligence fund of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the current fiscal year.
During the hearing, it was learned that Rosario Uriarte, former PCSO General Manager, was appointed by the PCSO board of directors as the special disbursement officer of the intelligence fund in February 18, 2010,
In the same hearing, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile questioned the uneven distribution of donated ambulances by the PCSO.
Enrile said that the province of Ilocos Sur received 22 ambulances, 20 of which were requested under the name of Governor Deogracias Victor Savillano, while other poor provinces did not even receive one unit.
According to former PCSO chair Sergio Valencia, they granted donations only to those that requested for ambulances, and were able to comply with the necessary documentary requirements. These include a resolution from the Sangguniang Bayan (or municipal legislature) requesting for ambulances, and proof that they have funds and human resources to operate the vehicle.
Meanwhile, Maria Aleta Tolentino, PCSO board member, said that another requirement is proof that the receiving party can pay 40 percent equity, if necessary.
Senator Panfilo Lacson bridled at the PCSO requirements saying that poor provinces and towns are at a disadvantage, even though they are the ones in dire need of the ambulances.
“You are punishing poor provinces, but you are rewarding the well-off,” Lacson said, adding that the procedure goes against the mandate of the PCSO.
Meanwhile, former PCSO General Manager Rosario Uriarte insisted that they prioritized all government hospitals under the Department of Health before they entertained requests for donations of ambulances from individual politicians.
At the same time, former PCSO chair Manoling Morato defended the alleged uneven distribution of ambulances, saying that not all cities, towns and provinces requested for these vehicles since these areas still have operational ambulances which were part of donations doled out by the PCSO during the term of former President Fidel Ramos.
He added that the PCSO distributed 3,600 ambulances nationwide during Ramos’ term. Morato was the PCSO chair during Ramos’ term. Ramos was elected president in 1994 and stepped down from office in 1998.
In an interview after the hearing, incumbent PCSO chair Margarita Juico said that the PCSO has to carefully study and abide by its process of approving requests submitted to their office.
“We really have to think of the processes regarding the approval of donation. If the guidelines are there, the guidelines need to be followed,” Juico told reporters.
The Senate is conducting an inquiry into the report of the Commission on Audit on the alleged misuse of PCSO funds during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.