Belmonte lauds Aquino's move to transfer PCSO to Office of the President

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. lauded the decision of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to move back the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) under the Office of the President (OP). “At least malinaw na ngayon who is responsible in the operations of PCSO," Belmonte told reporters in a press conference. (At least it is now clear who is responsible in the operations of PCSO.) President Aquino, in Executive Order 14 signed on November 19, has reverted the control of PCSO to the OP to ensure the effective implementation of his health agenda. “Let’s face it whether it is under the Department of Health or other agency, at the end of the day yung Office of the President pa rin ang nagpapatakbo nun kahit saan mo ilagay (it is still the Office of the President that runs it no matter where you place it under)," he added. Passing the blame? Belmonte said the past administration transferred the control of PCSO to DOH in 2005 so that they will have someone to blame if ever there will be glitches. “DOH was put in there as a ‘sapin’ (cover) in some past administration nang may matuturo na sila ang gumawa niyan," Belmonte said. (DOH was put in there as a cover in some past administration so that they will have someone to blame [if there will be glitches].) The PCSO was originally under the OP. It was moved to the Department of Social Welfare in 2004 and then to the DOH in 2005. Asked if the proceeds of PCSO will be used as ‘pork barrel’ by the President, Belmonte said it has been used “as anything since [time] immemorial." “Nasa Presidente yan, ako ay naniniwala na ang Presidenteng ito ay hindi gagawin yan," Belmonte said. (It's up to the President. I believe this President will not do something like that.) Belmonte meanwhile believed there should be a cap in the jackpot prize for lotto. “Ako I think it’s possible that the moment it (reaches P500 million), gumawa ka ng other fund para instead of starting from scratch again, matagal to eh, make it part of jumpstarting the next pot," he said. (I think it's possible that the moment it reaches P500 million, you have to make a fund so that instead of starting from scratch, which would take time, you make it a part of jumpstarting the next pot.) He added: “You know a person who wins P1 billion and a person who wins P500 million pareho lang yun eh (that's just the same), you’re suddenly drowning in money that you don’t know what to do with it." – VVP, GMANews.TV