PCSO earns P275 M from STL

By Mark A. Gomez

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in Camarines has generated P275 million in 2021 from the Small Town Lottery (STL) operated by Evenchance Gaming Corp (EGC).

Jobet Ramos, PCSO Camarines Sur chief, said that the P275 million income was remitted by the EGC representing 52.29 percent share of PCSO and other government agencies from the total revenue of STL.

Ramos said the STL has already surpassed Lotto in terms of income. Lotto’s income averages P16 million monthly while STL has been averaging P23 million monthly gross income.

He said the reason why the STL has more revenues is due to higher chances of winning, which attract more bettors.

Ramos said that P137.85 million or 50.09 percent of P275 million STL revenues were: remitted to the national government as taxes; P13 million or 4.72 percent were remitted to local government units; P1.05 million to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI); P2.63 million or 0.96 percent to the Philippine National Police; P19.79 million or 7.19 percent to the government’s Universal Health Care Program; and P100.88 million or 36.66 percent to the PCSO.

He said that Libmanan and Iriga City have the most number of STL bettors.

Ramos said the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns and other restrictions caused a decrease in STL revenues, however, it is now recovering.

He assured the public that the PCSO is properly managing all the incomes coming from its various operations and that there will be no corruption in the use of its funds.