MANILA — There was nothing inappropriate with the allegedly “lavish” Christmas party held by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) last December, its general manager said Tuesday.
During the House good governance and public accountability committee hearing, PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan said the PCSO employees deserved the party considering the agency reached record-high revenue of PHP52.9 billion in 2017.
Balutan said it was also meant as a “morale booster’ for the more than 1,500 employees of the PCSO after the Commission on Audit (COA) disallowed the grant of bonuses and benefits.
“Kahit papano mamantikaan iyung nguso nila at katawan nila, makatikim naman ng aircon dahil mahihirap din po itong mga empleyado and they deserve that,” Balutan said.
Balutan said the PCSO even saved millions of pesos as the actual expenses went down to PHP6.3 million from the proposed PHP10-million budget.
“I believe that was a bare minimum na nakita naming pwede naming gamitin sa ating mga empleyado na mahihirap din po,” he said.
“I think considering the current situation, I think, yung presyo po e medyo mataas na rin, I think it’s appropriate,” he added. (PNA)
