PCSO employees stage protest vs privatization

MANILA, Philippines – Employees of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) yesterday staged a silent protest against the proposal of Sen. Franklin Drilon to privatize the agency.

They reported to the PCSO central office in Pasay City wearing red shirts with markings “Yes to reform, No to privatization.”

The employees also expressed their support for the reforms being pushed by the PCSO management led by chair Margarita Juico and general manager Ferdinand Fojas II.

An employee, who asked not to be named, said they are against Drilon’s proposal because this will disrupt the operations of the agency and also deprive them of benefits from the government.

The PCSO officials earlier vowed to continue implementing reforms despite the smear campaign hurled against the board of directors after they uncovered alleged anomalies committed by the previous administration in cahoots with former PCSO executives.

They said that when they took over the charity agency last year, they started implementing programs to eradicate corruption and maximize the use of PCSO resources to better serve the people needing health and medical assistance.

Among the anomalies were the alleged juggling of funds, overpriced contracts and accumulated debts, and the controversial P150-million intelligence fund for the agency.

The new board has initiated legal action against the former PCSO officials allegedly involved in the anomalous contracts.

‘Transfer PCSO, Pagcor pork barrels’

A group composed of 90 corporations and 41 industry associations, is supporting a proposal to transfer the “pork barrels” of the PCSO and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) to the national budget in lieu of the government’s plan to impose new and higher taxes.

Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) president Jesus Arranza said “this would be the most reasonable budgetary plan we have heard.”

“Not only does it liberate Congress and the Department of Finance from looking for new and additional sources of revenues, but also free local manufacturers and consumers from being slapped with higher or new taxes.”

Sen. Ralph Recto made the proposal, saying discretionary funds tucked into the earnings of PCSO and Pagcor should be channeled into the national budget to make disbursement transparent and stop abuses.

Reports have pointed to the “pork barrel” or discretionary funds of the two state-run agencies having been turned into the personal kitty of those running it without accountability.

“The scandals plaguing the PCSO and Pagcor over allegations of fund misuse could have been avoided if the discretionary funds were written into the General Appropriations Act or the national budget,” said Recto, chairman of the Senate ways and means panel and senior Senate finance vice-chairman.

With these additional funds included in the national budget, Arranza explained that “Filipinos will have some breathing space as prices of goods will not be increased.”

“We have enough to worry about with the spiraling cost of goods due to the unabated increase in the price of fuel and gasoline.”

Arranza also agreed with the observation that the country’s credit-worthiness would be improved once the additional funds are made part of the public funds. –Perseus Echeminada (The Philippine Star)