Newly appointed director of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Imelda Papin is urging the public to participate in the lottery to support the government's charitable initiatives.

Imelda's appeal was not just a casual remark, but a significant call to action. She made the appeal during a lunch with the entertainment press at Mesa Restaurant in Quezon City on Saturday, June 8, two days before she began her office.

"Please! Tumaya kayo sa lotto. Hindi ito sugal! Sa bawa't taya ninyo sa lotto, nakakatulong kayo sa charity work ng gobyerno," Imelda said.

The Jukebox Queen said she's excited to start her office on Monday, June 10. She said she would be introduced formally during the PCSO flag-raising ceremony in Mandaluyong City. One of the first things she plans to do is play the lottery. 

"Kaya sana, suportahan ninyo ang lotto. Samahan ninyo akong tumaya sa lotto on Monday. Sama-sama tayong tataya," she said. (Let's support the lotto. Join me in betting on the lottery on Monday. Let's bet together.)

Imelda said she would also propose the program "Isang Linggong Serbisyo," in which PCSO would serve the needy for a whole week.

"Na-mention ko na ito kay Presidente (Marcos) at nagustuhan naman niya ito. Pero tignan natin kung paano ito gawin sa buong linggo," she said.

(I mentioned it to President Marcos, and he approved. However, let's see how to execute it throughout the week.)

Imelda said that she intends to continue holding concerts and shows despite being associated with the PCSO.

"Hindi ko pwedeng iwanan ang pagkanta dahil dito ako nakilala. Puwede ko rin silang kantahan sa PCSO," she added.

(I can't leave music because that's where I gained recognition. I can also perform at PCSO.)

But Imelda said PCSO is her priority these days. "HIndi na bago sa akin ang public service dahil ginagawa ko na ito noong naging vice governor ako sa Camarines Sur. So ipagpapagtuloy ko ang pagtulong sa mga tao ngayong nasa PCSO na ako."

(Public service is not new to me because I have been doing it since I was the vice governor of Camarines Sur in 1998. So I will continue helping the people now that I am in the PCSO.)

The PCSO is the principal government agency for raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

The PCSO holds and conducts charity sweepstakes, races, and lotteries and engages in health and welfare-related investments, projects, and activities to provide for permanent and continuing sources of funds for its programs. It also undertakes other activities to enhance and expand such fund-generating operations as well as strengthen the agency’s fund-management capabilities.

The main products of the PCSO are the sweepstakes and the lottery games. The Sweepstakes game has steadily been evolving through the years to be able to conform with the changing times, to keep the game interesting to all Sweepstakes enthusiasts and to hopefully attract more clients, and to maintain a variety of Sweepstakes products readily available in the market. Various game types have been introduced and other game innovations are constantly being conceptualized, particularly of the traditional and scratch and match variety and the Small Town Lottery (STL).