PCSO wants stop to contributions to state agencies

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has urged Congress to review laws on its mandatory contribution to nonhealth government agencies as it wants to focus on health-care assistance. Gay Nadine Alvor, legislative liaison officer of the PCSO, said several laws required the agency to make mandatory contributions to other government agencies.

“For example, we give to the Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and some of these mandatory contributions are not even health-related,” he said on Friday.

“We have nothing against the nonhealth-related agencies, it’s just that we want to concentrate more and we want to live up to our health mandate,” said Larry Cedro, general manager of the PCSO.

The PCSO generates revenues for the government through lottery draws, small town lotteries, sweepstakes draws, online keno, horse racing, etc. —Julie M. Aurelio