By Tara Yap
ILOILO CITY — Two companies authorized to operate the Small Town Lottery (STL) in the city and province of Iloilo owe the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) at least P705 million.
Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) (MANILA BULLETIN)
ZFIC Iloilo Gaming Corp. in Iloilo City failed to pay P369.8 million in dues while Red Subay Gaming Corp. in Iloilo province owes P335.3 million.
“Both companies are suspended. If they’re operating, it means they are operating illegally,” said PCSO General Manager Royina Garma while in this city.
PCSO has sent notices to both companies that their contracts will be terminated and cash bonds forfeited after it failed to meet the conditions stated in their contracts following President Duterte’s clearance to resume STL operations late in August.
Garma slammed both the management teams of ZFIC and Red Subay for blaming PCSO that they were not able to meet the target monthly earnings and could not pay its dues.
“It’s their fault and not ours. They are the ones who set the target for their monthly dues. Just because they could not come up with the money, they want the government to reduce it. The government cannot allow it,” Garma said.
Meanwhile, the PCSO turned over P58 million to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). PCSO Iloilo Manager Janette Lloyd said the P58 million is intended to upgrade facilities of the state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the Western Visayas region.