PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday told the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to focus more on charity work, directing the agency to continue fulfilling its core mission of helping vulnerable Filipinos.
The President, during the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the PCSO held at the Manila Hotel, thanked the agency and its personnel from the past, present and the future for their dedication and the countless hours that they have put in to make the institution “a pillar of hope.”
Marcos said that 90 years ago, the PCSO was established to help alleviate the plight of the people, especially the marginalized sectors of the society and it has served as a “beacon in times of darkness” for countless Filipinos.
“The journey they began was ambitious, uniting the power of chance with the power of purpose, creating not just a system of funding, but a helping hand for Filipinos in need. And they succeeded, laying the foundation for a legacy that continues to change lives until today,” he said.
The President recognized several PCSO programs that impacted many lives, such as the Medical Assistance Program, Institutional Partnership Program, and the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, and the grant to the Tahanan ng Pagmamahal Children’s Home in Pasig City through the Institutional Partnership Program, which covers essential needs like food, milk and medical expenses for children.
Marcos asked the members of the PCSO to continue upholding integrity, benevolence, and excellence as they perform their duties and to continue to serve the public “with the same spirit of compassion and courage that has defined the PCSO for many generations.”
Before the event, the President led the PCSO in the turnover of 90 patient transport vehicles (PTVs) or ambulances to local government units from Cebu, Bohol, Pangasinan, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, and Rizal. The 90 vehicles stand for the 90th anniversary of the agency.
Marcos said the PTV project, under the government’s Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program, was the result of his directive to PCSO head Mel Robles “to bring the PCSO back to charity work.”
He said when his administration assumed office in 2022 it found that a lot of the expenditures of the PCSO “goes to other work” and “the charity work is reduced.”
The President said that as the PCSO completes the distribution of at least one ambulance per province, the agency should double it or provide a second ambulance to each province.
Marcos also asked the LGU recipients to make sure the ambulances given to them are not just used properly but also cared for properly to ensure that it would last to serve more Filipinos.
The Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program prioritizes the distribution of vehicles to vulnerable communities and geographically isolated or disadvantaged areas to be able to immediately and safely transport the patients to, from and between locations with most efficient access to places of treatment by land, water and areas of rough and mountainous terrain.
To date, a total of 564 beneficiaries covering local government units have received PTVs from June 30, 2022 to the present.
For 2024, a budget of 2.2 billion has been approved by the President for 1,000 PTV units to cover all LGUs nationwide.
During the celebration, the President and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos unveiled and presented the PCSO’s 90th anniversary commemorative stamp and recognized the agency’s institutional partners for their unwavering support to the PCSO in fulfilling its mission of serving the Filipino people.
