PCSO suspension impact on UHC funds minimal

MANILA – Impact of the suspension of all Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office–regulated games on the Universal Health Care (UHC) is minute since the agency’s share on the program’s fund is only a little over one percent, a Department of Finance (DOF) official said on Monday.

DOF Assistant Secretary Tony Lambino said of the total PHP257 billion required by the UHC in 2020, PCSO’s share is estimated to be around PHP3 billion

or less than 1.2 percent.

For the five-year period ending 2024, PCSO’s share in the program’s estimated PHP1.437 trillion requirement is also less than 1.2 percent at PHP16.6 billion, he said.

“We will focus our efforts on passing the alcohol and e-cig tax package for UHC, with initial estimates of PHP15.8 billion in the first year and a total of PHP111.5 billion over five years based on the version approved by the House in the 17th Congress,” he said.

“Actually, we can aim for even higher since the previously approved version only included alcohol,” he added.

Last Saturday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the PCSO to suspend all its regulated gaming activities amid alleged “massive corruption”.

Meanwhile, Malacanang has said the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) may take-over the charity functions of PCSO following the suspension of all PCSO-regulated games.

On the other hand, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who was asked whether there is a need to temporarily transfer PCSO’s charity functions to PAGCOR, said the two agencies were created under separate laws.

He relayed to some journalists the opinion shared to him by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on the issue.

Guevarra said he does “not think that the President has any intention of transferring the PCSO’s entire mandate to the PAGCOR”.

“He only meant that the PAGCOR may be tapped in the meantime to continue providing for health and medical care assistance, among others,” he said. (PNA)