DILG mum on PCSO’s call to stop ‘jueteng’

By Paulo DS. Papa

The Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) in Camarines Sur has not acted on the request for assistance of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PSCO) to address the unabated operation of the illegal number game jueteng, which continues to eat up sales of PCSO licensed lotto and small town lottery (STL) outlets in the province.

Jobet Ramos, head of PCSO in Camarines Sur, told Bicol Mail that as of press time, PCSO has not received any reply from the DILG regarding their request for assistance in eliminating jueteng operations in Camarines Sur towns.

He said the continuous operation of jueteng and STL have substantially reduced sales of lotto outlets.

Once an STL outlet operates near a lotto stall, the daily revenue of the latter is affected, he said.

Ramos believed that jueteng operation in Camarines Sur continues unabated because police authorities find it difficult to identify jueteng operator who use STL as cover for its illegal activity.

He said lotto operation in the province lost around 30 percent of annual income in 2020 due to jueteng operation.

PCSO lotto income in Camarines Sur averages P19 to P20 million annually. Its lowest income was P13 million. On the other hand, STL remitted P22 million to the national government. STL contributed more revenues to the government, Ramos said.