THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday announced that the agency’s revenue for the first half of 2015 has reached P16.2 billion.
PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, at the sidelines of the House Committee on Appropriations hearing on the proposed P3.002-trillion national budget, said that of the P16.2- billion revenue, P14.5 billion came from Lotto, P1.6 billion from Keno and P25 million from Sweepstakes.
Rojas said the PCSO is targeting to generate a P35-billion revenue for 2015.
“Last year we recorded a total of P32 billion and this year we are optimistic that we will hit out target, as the PCSO is expected to launch more new games,” he said.
Currently, the PCSO has 47 branches nationwide.
Rojas said 55 percent of the PCSO’s income will go to the payment of lotto prizes; 30 percent to charity and social programs; and 15 percent for operating expenses and capital expenditure.
Rojas added that for every peso of income, 55 centavos goes to prizes, 15 centavos for agency operations, and 30 centavos goes to the Charity Fund.
According to Rojas, the PCSO assists at least 1,000 patients a day nationwide, processing their requests for financial assistance for hospitalization and treatment, such as hemodialysis and chemotherapy, with a total worth of P16 million.
The charity agency also extends financial support to institutions, such as orphanages, and senior citizens’ homes, he said.
For 2015, Rojas said the PCSO will also allot a total of P19.8 million in financial grants to 20 facilities, which include orphanages, homes for the aged and home for street children, while it will earmark P110 million for 52 government hospital nationwide the same year.
He also said the PCSO has provided, from 2010 to June 2015, P973 million for its Ambulance and Mobile Clinic Donation Program, where fourth, fifth and sixth-class municipalities received that ambulance at no cost.
Rojas added that the PCSO also provided, as mandated by law, from 2010 to June 2015 P22.9 billion to Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., Department of Foreign Affairs Information System on Migration, National Book Development Board, National Endowment Fund for Children’s Television, Dangerous Drugs Board, National Museum, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Sports Commission, Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter and Urban Development Financing Program, Commission on Higher Education, local governments shares from Lotto and Documentary Stamp Tax.
Image credits: Joseph Muego