By Jel Santos
Over P3 billion has been released by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to help the government in the battle against the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The financial contribution to the COVID-19 response effort was channeled by PCSO to the following agencies: P2.2 billion in dividends to the Department of Finance; PhilHealth, P420 million, for hospitalization costs of COVID-19 patients; P447 million to 82 government hospitals; and P4.2 million as additional daily fund allocation to the Lung Center of the Philippines, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, Rizal Medical Center and Taguig Pateros District Hospital.
The biggest chunk --- dividend payments totaling P2.2 billion --- complies with Republic Act No. 1169 under Republic Act No. 7656 (RA 7656), an Act Requiring Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GOCC) to Declare Dividends Under Certain Conditions to the National Government, and for other purposes.
Moreover, PCSO said they extended in kind assistance such as food packs, alcohol, disinfecting solutions and masks to some units of the Philippine National Police in Manila and in Davao.
Garma said it is crucial to work together with other government agencies to help minimize the negative impact of the pandemic on health systems, social services as well as economic activities
"Although, the Agency has no revenue for more than two months, this will not stop PCSO from doing its best to make sure that it will come to the aid of our government and the public. That is why when this is all over, I am calling on the public to donate to PCSO by continuously playing Lotto, STL, Keno, Sweepstakes, Scratch-it games," Garma assured.