Solon warns of Aquino pork in PCSO

MANILA, Philippines – A partylist lawmaker called for full disclosure of charity funds under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) that he alleged to be the president’s “pork barrel” funds.

But a PCSO official was quick to deny the allegation.

President Benigno Aquino III AP FILE PHOTO

In a statement on Thursday, Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon said these charity funds may be abused because they may only be disbursed by the Board of Directors upon the approval of the Office of the President.

“Given the fact that PCSO’s Charity Fund may only be disbursed upon approval of the President, it can then be considered as part of Aquino’s discretionary funds. Thus, we cannot rule out the possibility that it has been – or will be – tapped as pork funds, especially since the 2016 elections is just around the corner,” Ridon said.

The lawmaker said while he does not discount the fact that these funds have helped poor beneficiaries through medical assistance, “full public disclosure on the multi-billion off-budget account should be made to ensure that no unscrupulous public official – not even the President – is treating the Charity Fund as his personal bank account.”

At the sidelines of the budget deliberations on Thursday, PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas said these charity funds do not need the approval of the President.

He said the President also does not have discretion over these funds to turn these into pork barrel money.

“Our charity fund is being utilized under the PCSO programs. Never has there been a time the Office of the President used any of our funds for its purposes,” Rojas said.

He said the President does not have approval powers of the charity funds.

“Everything that is being spent on the charity fund is under the PCSO program and plans approved by the Board of Directors,” Rojas added.

In their presentation, Rojas said their beneficiaries of the charity fund grew to 163,722 in 2013 from 71,212 in 2010.

The amount given to beneficiaries also grew to almost P3.95 billion in 2013 from P2.02 billion in 2010.

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