PHILIPPINE Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan sees to it that the agency is transparent in all its sales and accomplishments to gain people’s trust and confidence and end corruption.
“Gusto kong makita ninyo kung ano ang kinikita ng PCSO, kung saan niya ginagastos, ano’ng proyekto, ilan ang beneficiaries na natulungan niya, at iyong mga ambulansya na nai-distribute. Sabi ko nga, kung ganito lahat ng ahensya, mababawasan ang corruption dito sa Pilipinas,” Balutan said during an orientation and coordination conference for PCSO’s I-Hope Program on April 18 in Sultan Kudarat.
The I-Hope (Integrate Health for Overall Productivity and Empowerment) program was conceived in an effort to achieve Strategic Measure under the Performance Agreement Negotiation (PAN) with the Governance Commission for GOCCs Strategic (GCG).
The program aims to implement responsible and efficient fund provision for health and charitable programs of the government and to provide access to charity services identified by the National Anti-Poverty Commission.
Last year Maguindanao, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Saranggani provinces became beneficiaries. This year PCSO identified Sultan Kudarat, Biliran, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi to receive P50 million each for equipment upgrade.
Before assuming as general manager in 2016, Balutan said there are only 50 PCSO branches and 18 Small Town Lottery players nationwide. At present, there are 63 PCSO branches, 87 partner-hospitals through the At-Source-Ang-Processing Desks, and 84 STL players.
“I see to it that every quarter, I report to the Filipino people kung ano iyong kinikita ng PCSO. So that our gaming public, especially iyong sineserbisyuhan natin magkaroon ng tiwala, ng confidence sa ating gobyerno, kasi ngayon, walang ng dilawan, wala ng kulay. Mapa-puti, mapa-itim ka diyan, blue, ano mang kulay diyan, seserbisyuhan natin,” Balutan said.
Balutan said he signs checks every day for more or less P22 million intended for the poor and indigent patients who are requesting for financial/medical support. Requests vary from hospitalization, chemotherapy, dialysis, implant/transplant, to any medical services, except room, rent, and doctors’ professional fees.
“Kung meron kang PhilHealth, unahin muna iyon. Kung meron kang medical insurance or senior citizen’s discount ka, ibabawas muna doon,” he explained.
To relive the patients from personal appearance in PCSO Main Office in Mandaluyong City or its extension office at the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, Balutan advised patients to go directly to PCSO ASAP Desks located in partner-hospitals nationwide.
“May desk ang PCSO diyan kung saan doon ipo-proseso ang inyong application. Ang hinihingi lang, medical abstract, letter of request, and latest hospital bill,” he said.
Aside from ASAP Desks, patients can also go to PCSO branches located nationwide. “Iyong mga branches natin sa PCSO, may mga pondo iyan. General Santos City, for example, has a P350,000 per day, P50,000 of that is for Sultan Kudarat. Inuubos iyan araw-araw,” said Balutan.
Balutan revealed that Davao del Sur, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija have P800,000 budget per a day, but it can be increased depending on the number of patients, especially poor and indigents who have really no means to pay.
“In PCSO, we generate our own funds and not appropriated by Congress. All our generated funds come from the gaming public. We have our products such as Lotto, Sweepstakes and STL,” said Balutan.
He also reminded the local government units to support PCSO products, especially STL, in line with the directive (Executive Order No. 13) of the President to curb illegal gambling nationwide./PN
