MANILA – Help us shore up the sweepstakes revenue, so we can help you with your needs.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is sending that message to local government officials, as LGUs and and non-government organizations have stepped up requests for medical or dental missions in their areas.
Dr. Jose Bernardo Gochoco, PCSO Medical Services Department Manager, posed the challenge thus: “If you want PCSO to help you, there has to be an effort on your part to help increase our revenues. Kung ayaw n’yo kaming tulungan, saan kami kukuha ng funds [para] sa lugar niyo? ‘Yung funds na makukuha namin, ‘yun din ang ibabalik namin sa inyo. Buti sana kung kasama sa GAA [General Appropriations Act] ‘yung revenues ng PCSO, wala naman. ‘Pag wala tayong benta, wala tayong ibibigay [If you don’t want to help us, where will we get funds for you? The funds we get, that’s the one we will give back to you. The PCSO revenues are not in the GAA. If we don’t have enough sales, there’s nothing to give].”
The PCSO Charter, or RA 1169, particularly on revenue allocation, provides that the revenue of the PCSO shall be allocated to 55 percent for prize fund (payment of prizes), 30 percent for charity fund (various charity programs and service) and 15 percent as operating fund (maintenance and operating expenses).
Gochoco explained that a percentage of the Charity Fund goes to mandatory contributions, which is P4-5 billion a year, depending on the income; while the rest goes to the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP).
“All of our funds come from our gaming activities. If the efforts from gaming are drawing in enough profits, fine. [So] if ever PCSO will help you, there has to be an effort on your part to help increase our revenues. We can only give what we have. Tangkilikin o i-promote n’yo ang produkto namin [Help endorse or promote our products],” said Gochoco.
Under Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, provinces, independent cities, component cities, municipalities, and barangays get a separate Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) or share of revenues from the Philippine national government.
“The local government is the one in-charge of that – DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Deveopment] and DOH have devolved components for that. There is nothing in the law that requires PCSO to help out in that area,” pointed out Gochoco, speaking partly in Filipino.
“[Our] charity fund is basically for augmentation purpose only. PCSO [cannot bear the responsibility of the] LGUs, Department of Health, or Department of Social Welfare and Development. It’s the duty of the local government, provincial and municipal governments to spend for that. They have an IRA for that. [Enough] IRA!” he added.
Out of the IRA, 5 percent is set aside for calamities and emergency purposes. For bigger barangays, it is already worth P5 million plus and 70 percent of that can be used to pre-purchase of supplies, but surprisingly, some LGUs do not use that.
He wondered aloud, “why aren’t they touching that?” Under the law, if such funds remain untouched for two years, they may be transferred to the mayor’s social fund. He said it appeared some officials would rather badger all possible external sources for funds so that they can keep their IRA share intact. “And the mayor can use that fund for whatever purpose he wants.”
MEDICINE DONATION
In January and February this year, PCSO through its Medical Services Department (MSD) donated P963,459.40 worth of medicines.
Gochoco revealed that for January, PCSO donated 581,959.44 worth of medicines. The beneficiaries include Municipality of Pilar, Capiz; Lanao del Sur, Nueva Ecija, Quezon City Police Department personnel, dependents, and indigent residents; Barangay San Roque, La Paz Tarlac; Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Brgy. Mayamot, Antipolo City; Brgy. BF, Inc. (SCABI), Admiral Elpidio B. Padama.
It also benefitted Mati City, Davao Oriental; Albay, Legaspi City; Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte; Camarines Sur; Brgy. Poblacion, Malasiqui, Pangasinan; Brgy. Ibaan, Batangas; Holy Infant Parish in San Antonio, Zambales; CLSU Central Luzon State University, 1st District Davao del Norte, 3rd District North Cotabato; 1st District of Ilocos Sur; Brgy. Kaong, Silang, Cavite; Department of National Defense, National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Silang, Cavite; and World War II veterans.
“For February, PCSO donated 381,499.96 worth of medicines to Municipality of Northern Kabuntalan, Maguindanao; Gabaldon, Sierra Madre; Municipality of Sibutu, Tawi-tawi; Brgy. Minalin, Pampanga; Brgys. Emmie, Saduc, and Datu Saber in Lanao; and Baguio City,” Gochoco said.
The beneficiaries also include Brgys. 31, 35, Lagui-Sail, Caoacan all in Laoag City; Brgy. Manlocboc, Aguilar, Pangasinan; Lone District Siquijor; Brgy. Bibiclat, Aliaga in Nueva Ecija; Brgy. Siniguelasan, Bacoor City; Tawi-tawi Province, Grace Family Helper Project (Children of Promise); Salam Compound, Brgy. Culiat, Quezon City; Parish of the Holy Family, Roxas District, Quezon City; and 5th District in Manila.
Gochoco said that in 2017, PCSO donated 3,297,510.69 worth of medicines.
The Medicine Donation Program (In-kind) of PCSO provides augmentation of the needed medicines to qualified government and non-government agencies (NGAs) to enable them to provide efficient and effective health care services.
Interested parties must submit a letter of request – Addressed to the PCSO Chairman/General Manager, Consumption Reports from previous request (if any); Project Proposal which should Include the following information: Project Proposal with project rationale, project objectives, project cliente/area coverage, for NGOs (as the need arises), and SEC registration and endorsement letter from LGUs.