By the PCSO Reportorial Team
Under Republic Act No. 1169 or the PCSO Charter, the agency’s mission in the year 2018 is to broaden and strengthen its generation of funds for health-related and charity programs of President Rodrigo Duterte for the Filipino people, especially the poor through the effective implementation of the lottery games.
Balutan predicted that by 2022, there will be higher productivity of lottery games which in turn will effectively address the medical needs of the people and the office’s expanded charity service.
“Pangunahin dito ang madagdagan ang bilang ng ating empleyado lalo na ang mga regular at mabigyan pa ng sapat na kasanayan para sa epektibong paggampan ng kanilang tungkulin [First in line is to increase the number of employees, especially the regulars, and provide them sufficient training that will enable them to effectively perform their duties],” Balutan said.
Currently, the agency has 63 branches across the country with the opening of eight new branches last year in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Catanduanes, Sultan Kudarat, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Davao del Norte, and Ifugao.
“Target nating ng taong 2018 na makapagbukas pa ng panibagong 8. Kung matupad natin ito ay sampu na lamang ang bubunuin natin sa mga susunod na taon at bago mag-2022 ay nalatagan na natin ng branch ang 81 na probinsiya [Our target for year 2018 is to open eight new branches more. If we accomplish this, we only need to build 10 more in the coming years and before 2022, we would have established a branch in 81 provinces],” Balutan said.
If the layout of the organization is improved, better services to support poor families in the provinces will also become a reality, he said.
In cooperation with the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Balutan said a program is in the pipeline to give P50 million in support each to Lanao del Sur, Sarangani, Maguindanao, and Sulu for the procurement of new medical equipment.
The agency will give 80 high-end ambulance units and another 150 scoop and run-type ambulance units. PCSO provided 221 ambulances amounting to P171.7 million last year.
For the processing time of guarantee letters equivalent to the money given to patients in need, 90 percent of the received request must be processed within 45 days.
“Pagtutuunan din natin ng sapat na panahon na madagdagan ang mga ASAP (At-Source-Ang-Processing) desk ng PCSO sa mga ospital kung saan dito na mismo tinatanggap at pinoproseso ang Individual Medical Assistance Program o IMAP form. Sa 2018, target natin na makapagdagdag pa ng 20 [We will focus on giving ample time to increase ASAP desks of PCSO in hospitals where the IMAP form can be received and processed. In 2018, our targer is to add 20 more],” Balutan said.
PCSO increased its ASAP desks by 50 last year, bringing the total to 57. Of the number, 42 are in Metro Manila and 15 are in the provinces.
“Lahat ng istratehiya nating ito ay kasabay ng ibayong implementasyon ng ating mga lottery game. Gusto rin nating makapagsulpot pa ng panibagong lottery game. Siyempre, sa taong 2018, target din natin na makapagdagdag pa ng 400 na outlet ng ating mga laro, [All of our strategies are in time with the efficient implementation of our lottery games. We also want to produce a new lottery game. Of course, in year 2018, another target is to add 400 more lottery game outlets],” Balutan said.
He said one of the most important matters to address is the modernization of the Online Lottery Games in Visayas and Mindanao.
“Maliban sa mga nabanggit ay sinimulan na rin natin ang planong pagtatayo ng PCSO national headquarters o corporate center sa ilalim ng Public-Private-Partnership; ang magkaroon ng matibay na Information and Security Risk Management Plan and Information Security Policy; at hangad natin na makakuha pa ng ISO Certification [Besides the previously mentioned (matters), we have started with the plan to build PCSO a national headquarters or corporate center under Public-Private-Partnership; to have a rigid Information and Security Risk Management Plan and Information Security Policy; and we aim to acquire an ISO certification],” Balutan added.