“Salamat po sa lahat ng mananaya ng Lotto. Kayo po ‘yong aming hero, kayo po ‘yong katuwang ng PCSO para madugtungan ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan na higit na nangangailangan ng pinansyal para po makabili ng mga gamot (To all Lotto patrons, thank you very much. You are our heroes. You are the PCSO’s partners in helping save the lives of our fellow Filipinos who are in need of financial assistance for their medication),” says Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office manager Royina Garma to reporters in an interview at their Mandaluyong city office.
Garma stated that the PCSO would continue to provide funds for healthcare, particularly owing to the increasing number of patients seeking medical attention as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak.
“Since the start of pandemic in March last year, we were able to donate PHP300 million to our government hospitals last year with regards to our medical access program, we are dispensing around PHP7 million to PHP8 million a day for chemotherapy drugs, dialysis medicines, and financial assistance sa mga medical bills. Aside from, of course, the routine medicine donations natin where LGUs can directly request from us,” she stressed.
The PCSO is mandated to set aside 30 percent of its revenue for charity, 55 percent for prizes, and 15 percent for its operation. All balances of any funds in the PCSO will form part of the charity fund.
Previously, in September of this year, the PCSO distributed more than PHP202.2 million in medical assistance to 24,360 eligible beneficiaries nationwide.
According to the PCSO, the funds were distributed to beneficiaries through the agency’s Medical Access Program (MAP).
In Luzon, 4,335 indigents from the National Capital Region received PHP41.1 million in assistance; 3,439 from Northern and Central Luzon received PHP52.2 million; and 5,756 from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region received PHP43.8 million.
In the Visayas, 5,367 individuals received PHP35.2 million in medical aid, while 5,463 individuals in Mindanao received PHP29.9 million.
The MAP, formerly known as the Individual Medical Assistance Program, is meant to supplement medical assistance for impoverished Filipinos, particularly for hospitalization, chemotherapy, dialysis, and post-transplant medicines.
