The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday turned over checks amounting to over PHP32 million to 13 local government units in Metro Manila.

The amount represents small town lottery shares (STL) distributed to LGUs.

PCSO general manager Royina Garma said the LGUs receive a percentage from the total revenues of PCSO operations in their areas and these shares can then be utilized by the LGU for their respective projects.

“PCSO provides funds for projects and charitable activities on a nationwide scale while the LGU can use the PCSO funds for projects that are beneficial to their respective municipalities, town, and cities. Two separate agencies working in parallel toward nation-building,” Garma told reporters in an interview at the PCSO main office in Mandaluyong City.

Quezon City received the highest share with almost PHP15.07 million, followed by Manila, PHP9.29 million; Pasay City, PHP3.3 million; Las Piñas City, PHP2.73 million; Pasig City, PHP638,000; Marikina CIty, PHP384,000; Muntinlupa City, PHP232,000; Parañaque City, PHP215,000; San Juan City, PHP98,695; Mandaluyong City, PHP63,566; Pateros, PHP32,280; Makati City; PHP25,647 and Taguig City, PHP7,556.

“There are cities that can’t afford or provide funds to be able to help its people. There are also some municipalities that can’t provide to people, especially, if they are geographically isolated or calamity prone. I am appealing to all LGUs, please accept our games. We need you because there are a lot of people who are counting on the PCSO. The revenues that we will earn, we will share these with areas that are in need, especially those that are typhoon prone, those in the mountains or small islands,” she said in Filipino.

She said they can also avail of the STL and lottery shares as additional income in their respective areas of responsibility.

“It does not take skill to win in our games, it is truly a game of chance. That alone differentiates us from other gaming institutions. These are games with a heart because a portion of our revenues goes to our fellow Filipinos in need of medical attention. Aside from that, we already helped a lot of institutions, hospitals, calamity victims, and local governments,” she added.

In the same ceremony, the PCSO also turned over its mandatory contribution worth over PHP17 million to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The grant is in compliance with Republic Act 7722 or the Higher Education Act of 1994, which provides that 1 percent of the PCSO’s Lotto gross sales should go to the commission.

Garma said the PCSO would continue to provide funds for healthcare, especially with the increasing number of patients seeking medical attention amid the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

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.

Last Oct. 11, the PCSO turned over PHP1 billion from its charity fund to the Department of Finance (DOF), through the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), in a bid to recover its losses due to the pandemic. (PNA)