The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) reaffirmed its central role in strengthening the country’s healthcare system as it convened the 2025 Charity Summit early this month, gathering more than 250 stakeholders from government, civil society, and partner institutions under the theme “Serving More Through Greater Collaboration.”
The summit, which showcased PCSO’s wide-reaching accomplishments, also underscored the agency’s alignment with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to modernize and expand the country’s health and welfare programs.
General Manager Melquiades Robles reported that since 2022, PCSO has extended nearly ₱7.97 billion in medical assistance, benefitting close to one million patients across the nation. “These numbers are not just statistics,” Robles said. “They represent lives saved, families given hope, and communities better served. Every hospital we support and every patient we transport is a step closer to a healthier and more compassionate Philippines.”
A cornerstone of this effort is the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, which has already distributed 1,297 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) nationwide and is on track to complete its target of 1,724 by the end of 2025 — ensuring that even the most remote communities have access to timely medical transport.
PCSO’s Institutional Partnership Program has likewise released ₱68.28 million to 122 organizations since 2022, extending aid to orphans, children, indigent patients, and persons with special needs. Complementing this is the Medical Equipment Donation Program, which has delivered ₱103 million worth of equipment to 14 hospitals, including nearly ₱22 million in the first quarter of 2025 alone, boosting the capacity of healthcare facilities across the country.
Retired Judge Felix P. Reyes, PCSO chairperson, highlighted that the success of these programs rests on cooperation. “The true power of charity does not lie in individual acts but in the synergy of many working together,” Reyes said. “When government, civil society, and the private sector act as one, we magnify the impact of every peso, every effort, and every program.”
Looking ahead, PCSO plans to expand further by providing sea-based patient transport vehicles for island communities, deploying mobile dental clinic units, and continuing to upgrade government hospitals with modern medical equipment. These initiatives directly support the Marcos administration’s call to fortify public healthcare and ensure that Filipinos in both urban centers and remote barangays receive quality and timely care.
The summit closed not just as a showcase of accomplishments, but as a call to action — for deeper collaboration, wider outreach, and stronger public-private partnerships.
“As we end this summit, let us remember three truths,” Robles said. “First, collaboration makes our mission possible. Second, behind every program are lives and families touched. And third, together, we can and we will serve more Filipinos in greater and more meaningful ways.”
With its billions in aid, expanding fleet of patient transport vehicles, and strengthened partnerships, PCSO stands as a vital partner in the government’s mission to bring healthcare and welfare services closer to every Filipino family.
