THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday turned over P1 billion from its charity fund to the Department of Finance ( DOF) through the Bureau of Treasury bid to finance government programs and projects.

In a letter dated April 7, 2021, the DOF requested additional dividends from PCSO retained earning which the budget was placed under the Charity fund 2019 this was cleared by the Commission on Audit (COA) for reasoning that PCSO has already remitted their dividend worth P2 billion in compliance per Republic Act 7656 of 2019 earnings net of tax.

“This is in addition to the PHP2-billion remittance dividend of PCSO in 2019. Nagdagdag kami ng PHP1 billion this year. This is in support of the need to raise funds ng ating gobyerno because we really need money to finance the health programs of the government. So bale, for 2019, because of this P1-billion turnover, plus the P2.219 billion that was already turnover in 2019, umaabot tayo ng P3,219,815,648, representing the 50 percent minimum compliance as provided under RA 7656 of 2019 earning net of tax of PCSO,” Garma said told reporters on the sidelines of turnover the cheque through the Bureau of Treasury represented by Collecting Officer Purita Belgica at the PCSO office in Mandaluyong City on Monday.

Garma said the PCSO would continue to provide funds for healthcare, especially with the increasing number of patients seeking medical attention amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Since the start of pandemic, last year March, we were able to donate P300 million to our government hospitals last year with regards to our medical access program, we are dispensing around P7M-P8 million a day for chemo drugs, dialysis medicines, and financial assistance sa mga medical bills. Aside from, of course, the routine medicine donations natin where LGUs can directly request from us. Yesterday, galing akong Surigao, we just turned over PHP120,000 worth of medicines,” she stressed.

The PCSO is mandated to set aside 30 percent of its revenue for charity, 55 percent for prizes, and 15 percent for its operation. All balances of any funds in the PCSO will form part of the charity fund.

The PCSO top official expressed gratitude to the public as she urged them to keep on patronizing the games to generate more funds for health programs, medical assistance and services and charities.

“I would like to thank ‘yong mga suki naming manlalaro ng PCSO, especially our agents na since last year 2019 nag-lockdown, they sacrifice their lives para lang po tuloy ‘yong palaro ng PCSO. They were able to comply with all the required contributions since the lockdown last year. They did not fail our government in providing funds,” said Garma.

“Salamat po sa lahat ng mananaya ng Lotto. Kayo po ‘yong aming hero, kayo po ‘yong katuwang ng PCSO para madugtungan ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan na higit na nangangailangan ng pinansyal para po makabili ng mga gamot,” she added.

Earlier, the PCSO has so far released more than P202.2 million in medical assistance to 24,360 eligible beneficiaries nationwide in September this year.

The PCSO said the funds were released to beneficiaries through the agency’s Medical Access Program (MAP).

In Luzon, the beneficiaries include 4,335 indigents from the National Capital Region who received PHP41.1 million worth of assistance; 3,439 from Northern and Central Luzon who were given PHP52.2 million; 5,756 from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region who received PHP43.8 million.

In the Visayas, 5,367 individuals were provided with PHP35.2 million in medical aid while 5,463 individuals received PHP29.9 million in Mindanao.

The MAP, formerly known as the Individual Medical Assistance Program, is designed to augment the medical assistance for indigent Filipinos, particularly for hospital confinement, chemotherapy, dialysis, and post-transplant medicines.