Philippines Releases US$9M To Hospitals For COVID-19 Response

PCSO OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

On May 22, the Philippines Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced US$9,000,000 in funding to 87 government hospitals to support procurement of medical devices, equipment and supplies to combat COVID-19.  These funds are part of a larger US$60 million package, the bulk of which goes to PhilHealth (the national healthcare system) and to cover hospital costs for COVID-19 patients.  The complete list of hospitals and their funding levels is available here.

THE PHILIPPINE CHARITY SWEEPSTAKES OFFICE (PCSO)

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is responsible for administering Sweepstakes, national & local lotteries, scratchcards, keno and horse racing. Even though every year the PCSO is a major source of funding for new hospital construction and medical device and equipment purchases, it is often overlooked by outside suppliers.

By charter every year 35% of the organization’s revenue goes to healthcare charities and other social funds which includes directly assisting Filipinos with their healthcare bills, subsidizing PhilHealth, the national insurance program, and helping hospitals purchase new equipment or supplies. For instance, in 2017, the PCSO donated PhP20M to PNP General Hospital for new medical equipment. In 2018, the PCSO posted revenues of PhP63.68B (US$125.6M), a 20% increase in revenue over the previous year. After funding the winnings and operating costs, the PCSO allocated almost $44M to healthcare causes.