ANAKALUSUGAN Partylist Rep. Ray T. Reyes hit the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) 1,689 percent increase in advertising budget for 2023.
This after the House Budget Briefing for the PCSO revealed that despite the increase in ad budget for this year, the government-owned and controlled corporation will incur a projected net loss of P938 million for 2023.
“Pinagpapaliwanag po natin ang PCSO kung bakit kahit lumobo sa P340 milyon ang advertising expenses nito ngayong taon, mas nalugi pa sila,” Reyes said.
“Compare this to 2022, where the PCSO spent only Php 19 million in advertising pero masmalaki pa ang kinita nila,” he added.
Reyes said PCSO should get its priorities straight and instead focus on its mandate of providing charity and service to Filipinos.
“Maybe they need to rethink how they spend their advertising budget and divert this to the actual mandate of PCSO which is on charity,” he added.
“If the advertising didn’t work, nakakapanghinayang dahil malaking halaga din ang 340 million. Ilang ambulansya na sana ito na naipamigay sa mga nangangailangang komunidad, o di kaya medical assistance at gamot para sa libo-libong kababayan natin,” the solon also said.
The lawmaker likewise scored the PCSO for the absence of its general manager from the House budget deliberations.
PCSO General Manager Mel Robles was absent during the House appropriation committee hearing leaving PCSO Assistant General Manager Lauro Patiag to answer questions from lawmakers.
“This is unacceptable. Narito tayo para pag-usapan ang management ng PCSO ngunit wala ang top manager para ilahad ang naging pangangasiwa at mga plano para mapabuti ang lagay ng ahensya sa hinaharap,” he said.
“Sa darating na congressional inquiry, inaasahan natin na finally dadalo na siya, because his continuous snub of our invitation has angered several congressmen who have found it insulting that he cannot personally be present and accountable to answer all our questions,” Reyes added.
