PCSO explains 'reputation management' expenses

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Ferdinand Rojas on Monday explained why the charity fund had spent half a million pesos for so-called "public affairs and reputation management." At the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the alleged anomalies in the PCSO, Rojas said that PCSO hired EON Stakeholders Firm for P554,400 for three months in preparation for the launch of their nationwide small town lottery (STL) project. He said the reputation management program included stakeholder mapping, message workshops, and media training — all of which he said were geared toward correcting the misconceptions about STL. "All of these were provided to the PCSO, the institution and its products, and not for any specific officials or personalities," said the PCSO offcial. He issued the statement after Senate President Pro Tempore Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada during last week's hearing questioned the need for "reputation management." Rojas said that after the PR program, their STL sales increased to 93 percent. He noted, however, that they are not under contract with EON as of the moment. The PCSO general manager, meanwhile, explained that he signed the contract even if it was PCSO chair Margarita Quico's name stated on the document because EON didn't know that he had the approving power over the project. "That contract was supposed to be in my name, they were not able to give a second contract," he said. — Kimberly Jane Tan/RSJ, GMA News