Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan announced on Tuesday that the agency is set to give P8 billion to PhilHealth in compliance with the Universal Healthcare (UHC) Program of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“The agency will give 40 percent from the 30 percent of our Charity Fund, which is about P8 billion for Universal Healthcare Program on the 3rd quarter this year,” said Balutan.
UHC will catalyze reforms for the health care system in the Philippines, particularly strengthening primary care services, through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., or PhilHealth.
UHC will ensure adequate funding through the Department of Health (DOH) annual budget, revenues from sin taxes, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, PCSO, and PhilHealth members’ contribution.
In 2018, PCSO has helped a total of 528,190 patients under its Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), spending about P10.2 billion for hospitalization, request for medicines, chemo and dialysis sessions, laboratory and diagnostic procedures.
“Suportahan po ninyo ang ating mga produkto. Iwasan natin ang mga illegal numbers game para ‘yung pondo ay diretsong makarating sa ating mamamayan. Sisikapin naming makatulong sa lahat at dagdagan ang ating serbisyo. Pagagandahin po namin ang aming serbisyo at magiging malawak ang serbisyo na ihahatid natin sa ating mga branches nationwide,” said Balutan.
Balutan added that the agency is set to construct its own Corporate Center to be located at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City to decongest its extension office at Lung Center of the Philippines, which is catering about 700 patients per day.
“Sana maumpisahan na ito next year at mag-bi-bidding tayo. Dadagdagan pa natin ng lima hanggang anim ang ating branch offices. We will continue to help our indigent patients nationwide. We shall maintain the IMAP program though ang batas ng UHC ay nandyan na, tutulong ang PCSO sa pagkalap ng pondo sa PhilHealth.”
The PCSO Charter, or RA 1169, particularly on revenue allocation, provides that the revenue of the PCSO shall be allocated to 55 percent for prize fund (payment of prizes), 30 percent for charity fund (various charity programs and service) and 15 percent as operating fund (maintenance and operating expenses).
Charity Fund is divided into two: 60 percent of which is for IMAP and other charity programs such as Ambulance Donation, Calamity Assistance, Medical and Dental Mission, and others; while 40 percent is for mandatory contributions of PCSO to almost 28 government agencies like Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among many others./PN
