PCSO: Entitlements for eligible patients will continue despite shutdown
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Nenita Roldan, a 62-year-old low-income resident of Bacolod City’s Barangay Bata, yesterday urged President Rodrigo Duterte to reactivate Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) operations as her son, 44-year-old Henry Roldan, is dependent on the agency for his dialysis treatment.
The president earlier shut down all PCSO managed, licensed, and franchised gaming operations after the Commission on Audit issued a report that found the agency had P6 billion in missing revenue.
The senior citizen said she has no other option without assistance from PCSO.
However, PCSO-Bacolod Manager Jose Manuel Villagracia assured assistance for low-income patients will continue despite the ongoing shutdown of gaming operations.
“As per directive from [PCSO General Manager Royina Garma], the individual assistance program will be continued,” he confirmed.
Villagracia added, PCSO-Bacolod is providing P745,000 in assistance daily, which eligible patients can access either at the PCSO office or the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, where a PCSO assistance center is located.
Meanwhile, with regard to winners who have not yet claimed their prizes, the agency will keep a hold on their tickets as they are currently unable to make payouts as the main office put on hold their online connection./DGB, WDJ