The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is focused and stays committed to continue with the expansion of the Small Town Lottery (STL).
PCSO is sincere on the expansion of STL operations in pursuit of its commitment to generate more revenues to fund the various health and charitable programs and projects of PCSO like the Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP), Ambulance Donation Program, Medicine Donation Program, Medical and Dental Missions, Calamity Assistance, among others.
As government’s support to the STL expansion, an STL Task Force composed of the Office of the Executive Secretary, Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and PCSO, was created to ensure that the objectives of the game, which include higher tax collection and employment creation, among others, are attained.
In addition, the PNP continues with its fight against illegal gambling in the country, wherein 3,202 operations were already conducted from February 3 to April 20, 2017. A total of 7,254 were arrested from these operations and more than three million pesos were confiscated by the PNP.
On the other hand, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has also started to raid outlets of Meridien Vista Gaming Corporation, which are illegally operating in various areas of the country.
PCSO’s conduct of STL draws follow standard procedures that are transparent and open to the public. Further, the selection of STL Authorized Agent Corporations (AACs) follow a strict process which is clearly laid out in the 2016 revised STL Implementing Rules and Regulations, as published in the official website of the charitable Agency (www.pcso.gov.ph).
PCSO started its STL operations in 2006 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and only under the present administration of President Duterte has the sales from STL reached almost 1 billion every month.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the government are serious to put an end to all illegal gambling activities in the country, which do not remit taxes to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and deny the public from getting more needed assistance from the government. PCSO will adhere to its mandate to generate revenues from its game products like Lotto, KENO, Sweepstakes and STL to deliver Serbisyo, Trabaho and Laro to more Filipinos. (PCSO)
