Pork recipients turn to PCSO for help

TACLOBAN CITY— The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in Leyte has experienced a surge in their clients seeking financial assistance due to the suspension of the release of pork barrel funds to legislators.

Genciano Creer, officer in charge of the PCSO-Leyte based in this city, said the number of people seeking medical or hospital assistance from  their office had increased in the past weeks.

Creer attributed the increase in the number of PCSO clients, who are mostly poor, to the absence of medical or hospital assistance from the congressmen.

Last month, the Supreme Court suspended the release of the remaining pork barrel of the congressmen and senators pending resolution of the petition questioning the constitutionality of the Priority Development Assistance Fund, the official name of the pork barrel.

Creer said that in the past, the PCSO-Leyte office in Tacloban City served only 10 clients who asked for medical or hospitalization assistance daily.

But in the past few days, the number increased to 30 a day.

Last year, the PCSO-Leyte office provided medical or hospitalization assistance worth P13.63 million to 1,199 patients.

Creer maintained that their office could do only so much because of their limited resources, adding that the pork barrel of the congressmen helped provide assistance to the poor of Leyte, Southern Leyte and Biliran.

The PCSO-Leyte, which also serves residents from Samar Island, could release only around P2 million a month with a possible medical or hospitalization assistance of not less than P1,000, he disclosed.

Creer, however, said they could provide medical or hospitalization assistance of up to  P100,000 in extreme cases like  a patient in need of dialysis.

Creer, however, declined to comment on the controversial pork barrel.

Presentacion Turbeles, 60, was one of those seeking assistance from the PCSO, instead of going to the congressional office of Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone.

Turbeles’ husband, Antonio, needs a dialysis due to his kidney problem.

“I need at least P7,000 a week, a huge amount of money that is really beyond our means,” said Turbeles, a native of Barangay Malbog, Lawaan town, in Eastern Samar.

She said she heard reports that she could no longer seek assistance from her congressmen so she decided to seek help from the PCSO.