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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PCSO suspends lotto, other games in MECQ areas

PCSO suspends lotto, other games in MECQ areas

Published Aug 3, 2020 08:03 pm

After Metro Manila and nearby provinces were placed under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday announced that its games will remain suspended in these areas indefinitely.

PCSO, in a public advisory posted on its official Facebook page, announced that in view of the declaration by President Duterte placing the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna under MECQ from August 4 to August 18, its games including Lotto, Instant Sweepstakes, and Keno “in these areas shall be suspended effective midnight of August 4, 2020 until further notice.”

Meanwhile, PCSO added that the Small Town Lottery (STL) will remain suspended since it has “not yet resumed.”

After months of suspending its operations due to the COVID-19 situation in the country, General Manager Royina Garma on July 22 announced that PCSO games will resume.

Lotto games including Lotto 6/42, Mega Lotto 6/45, Super Lotto 6/49, Grand Lotto 6/55 and Ultra Lotto 6/58 could have resumed on August 4. The Instant Sweepstakes started on July 20 while and Online Keno resumed on July 28.

PCSO said that resumption of the lotto and other games was only approved for areas under the general and modified community quarantine or GCQ and MGCQ. 

The PCSO also noted that it will abide by the health protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) such as physical distancing and the wearing of face masks as cited in Lotto Circular No. 2020-004.

Last July 20, PCSO also started holding “catch-up draws” for lotto tickets bought by bettors prior to the suspension last March 17.  After finishing all the catch-up draws, PCSO will start resumption of the regular lotto operations. There were “no jackpot winners” in all the catch-up lotto draws.

Initially, PCSO will sell the Lotto 6/42 and Megalotto 6/45 games following its current draw schedule. Lotto ticket prices have been rolled back to P20.

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