Palace defends PCSO ‘review’ of assistance for charity orgs

Malacañang on Sunday defended the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s reported decision to momentarily stop providing financial assistance to some 112 charity groups, saying it is time to make sure the charity funds reach the intended beneficiaries. In an interview on government-run dzRB radio, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte also belied claims the decision was arbitrary or a show of cruelty. “Hindi ito pagdaramot. Hindi ito naging arbitrary decision [na] itigil muna natin. Kailangan muna tingnan ang listahan at kung anong ginagawa sa donation. It’s only fair for the people to see kung itong institution, makita ano nangyari sa perang yan, pag binigay ng PCSO napupunta sa intended beneficiaries," she said. But while Valte said the PCSO is now evaluating the organizations it is giving financial assistance to, she stressed that the PCSO assistance is not meant for the charity group’s operations. She said that when the PCSO extends financial assistance to a charitable organization, there is an “assumption" the organization is financially “independent" and can run on its own. “Yan ang end goal bakit nagbibigay ng tulong ang PCSO, para makatulong sa nararapat. Hindi binibigay ang perang yan para tulungan papatakbo ang organization," she said. “Sa part ng PCSO, tumutulong lang sila sa natutulungan ng charitable organization na ito. May assumption na independent sila at kaya nila patakbuhin ang pagtulong sa tinutulungan." On Sunday, a report on the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper said the PCSO had stopped giving some P116 million in monthly or quarterly financial assistance to 112 charitable organizations on allegations of fund misuse. It quoted PCSO chairperson Margarita Juico as saying the groups used PCSO aid not for medicines, health-care products and food items, but for “administrative expenses." - KBK, GMA News