By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has urged the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to improve its delivery of assistance, strengthen fund management, and enhance coordination with hospitals and public institutions as the agency marked its 92nd anniversary.
In a video message on Saturday, President Marcos Jr. the PCSO embodies the Filipino spirit of “damayan,” or helping and supporting those in need.
“This distinctive Filipino quality of damayan is what makes our people strong, virtuous, and resilient, allowing us to shoulder enormous burdens for the sake of others and to assure our compatriots that they are never forgotten nor left behind,” he said.
A government-owned and -controlled corporation under the Office of the President, the PCSO is mandated to organize national and local lotteries, charity sweepstakes and small town lotteries to generate funds for health and welfare programs nationwide.
President Marcos Jr. expressed hope that the agency’s 92-year history would inspire it to fulfill its mandate with greater commitment, particularly by establishing clearer assistance mechanisms, ensuring sounder fund management, and improving coordination with hospitals and public institutions.
“This way, you can continue to provide our people with the necessary help that they need to recover, to move forward, and to live with dignity,” he said.
The President also urged PCSO officials and personnel to keep public service at the center of their decisions while upholding responsible gaming.
In August, the PCSO reported generating around P32.68 billion from its major games in the first half of 2026, higher than the P31.89 billion recorded in the same period in 2025 and P30.98 billion in the first semester of 2024.
In its 2025 annual report, the agency said it extended P5.78 billion in charity and medical assistance, benefiting 251,477 patients and 1,300 local government units.
