Manila, Philippines – In keeping with the Aquino administration's austerity program, officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) led by Chairperson Margarita “Margie” P. Juico have voluntarily sliced off from their incentives the amount of at least P100,000.

The PCSO Board of Directors is composed of Juico, chairman; and members Betty B. Nantes, Mabel V. Mamba, Ma. Aleta L. Tolentino, and Francisco G. Joaquin III.

Lawyer Ferdinand Rojas is PCSO general manager.

Juico said the PCSO board and the general manager have voluntarily cut their incentives two weeks ago in response to President Aquino’s call for austerity in government.

Their voluntary move, she added, was not a reaction to the controversy on the questionable incentives and bonuses of government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financing institutions (GFIs).

The PCSO chairman said they did away with their Christmas grocery incentive worth P40,000; clothing allowance of P10,000, cash gift worth P5,000, and two other perks.

Juico said they have removed about P100,000 each for the board.

She said as chairman, including the general manager, they have sliced off about P140,000.

Their basic pay, she said, is P40,000. Juico spoke with the media last Friday, Sept. 3.

“Yesterday, I heard about the GOCCs. It seems ours in the PCSO is small time. We are not like that. Anyway, two weeks ago we removed some of our incentives,” said Juico.

NEW LOCATION

This developed as the PCSO head revealed that they are planning to abandon the 72 years old Quezon Institute Building where the agency is holding office.

Juico said structural engineers who did a certificate of soundness test on the QI from Manila and Quezon cities have found structural defects.

In July when she assumed her position as chairman of PCSO, she said she asked Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson to send a team for more tests.

After team from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) concluded their work, Juico got a call from Singson on Wednesday.

“Two nights ago (Wednesday), I received a call from Secretary Singson. He recommended the demolition of this building (QI),” said Juico. PCSO is renting the QI building from the Quezon City government.

S.T.L. REVIEW

Also, Rojas has said that the PCSO is now reviewing and auditing the controversial Small Town Lottery (STL) and other programs of the government's charitable agency.

He said the review and audit of STL is aimed at correcting any deficiencies or defects to improve its operation.

“PCSO is the only government agency allowed to conduct lottery. Our job is to implement the law on lottery,” said Rojas.

“We want to review thoroughly (for) better implementation, we can widen (its operation),” he said in English and Pilipino.

It could be recalled that the Catholic Church has been calling for a stop to the STL operations, which is still on a pilot basis in many provinces.

Another controversy is allegedly being used as front for the illegal numbers game “jueteng.”

“I think those are all allegations,” said Rojas.

Also, a senior administration lawmaker Sunday said that government has been unwittingly fronting for “jueteng” because it has failed to closely monitor STL operations of the PCSO.

Rep. Edgar San Luis (NPC, Laguna) aired this observation as he demanded an end to the STL experimentation and the immediate submission by the PCSO of a full auditing of the financial status of the project.

San Luis said that instead of eradicating jueteng in localities where STL outlets have been issued temporary franchises, the PCSO-sanctioned game is being used as camouflage for the illegal numbers betting.

During a budget hearing in the Lower House, San Luis asked PCSO Chairperson Margie Juico to submit immediately a performance audit and financial accounting of the STL operations.

According to San Luis the STL, if fully monitored and operated independently from jueteng, can earn for the government billions of pesos annually. San Luis, vice chairman of the House committee on appropriations, said he had received reports that Church leaders and other civic organizations have accused STL operators of conniving with “jueteng” financiers to allow illegal numbers games to continue to operate on a parallel basis with that of STL.

The lawmaker said many STL bet takers double as “jueteng” bet collectors.

He said that as a result of the unholy alliance between STL and “jueteng” operators, government loses billions of pesos unrealized revenues from PCSO’s STL operations.

“STL provides the camouflage for jueteng to continue to flourish.  We will know why PCSO allows this by conducting a lifestyle check on the agency’s officials in charge of STL,” he stated.

San Luis said that during the first year of STL’s experimental period, PCSO was able to contribute at least P1 billion for the government.

“I think the amount would have been tripled if the government will strictly look into its operations,” the Laguna solon said.