The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes’ Office (PCSO) yesterday remitted P2.5 billion to the National Treasury which will be used to finance the Universal Health Care Law (UHC) of the government.
PCSO general manager Mel Robles turned over yesterday a “ceremonial check” to Bureau of Treasury (BTr) spokeswoman Shirley Domingo during a briefing arranged by Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.
“Today, the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office is going to remit its share to the National Treasury, which will give the PhilHealth more funds to support the Universal Health Care Law. This is just the first among the remittances that we will do,” Robles said.
He said the remittance to the UHC program accounts for 40 percent of the PCSO’s charity fund. This is on top of the taxes that the PCSO pays the government which is usually above P2 billion.
Republic Act 11223, or the UHC law states that 50 percent of the national government’s share from Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s (Pagcor) income and 40 percent of PCSO’s charity fund shall be used for the UHC program.
The UHC law, signed by then President Duterte in February 2019, automatically enrolls all Filipino citizens, including overseas Filipino workers, in the state social health insurance PhilHealth, which will have expanded coverage to include free consultation fees, laboratory tests and other diagnostic services.
Domingo said the BTr will transmit the fund to PhilHealth through its “national subsidy for benefit improvement” program.
She said the amount will go to existing case rates, cover dialysis sessions of indigent kidney patients and boost the “catastrophic benefits and orthopedic benefits”, among others.
Domingo said none of the PCSO remittance will be used for PhilHealth’s administrative costs and COVID-19-related expenses.
“It’s a different subsidy from the usual GAA (General Appropriations Act) subsidy to PhilHealth for the premiums of the indirect contributors. This fund is specifically for benefit improvement and will not in any way be used for any admin expense. We’re very happy that we will be receiving these funds because it will translate to the better financial protection of our members,” she said.
Domingo said a medium-term expenditure plan identifying where the PCSO and Pagcor remittances will be used will be released later on.
