STL review covers 34 gaming firms

MANILA, Philippines - The ongoing review of the Small Town Lottery (STL) by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) covers at least 34 gaming corporations, 13 of which were granted franchises this year alone, The STAR sources said yesterday.

According to sources outside the PCSO, the new STL franchises are operating in different parts of the country.

“From Luzon, STL is now operating in Visayas and Mindanao,” the source said.

The operations of the STL, according to police reports, have practically shielded the illegal numbers game jueteng, which proliferates in Luzon, and masiao, popular in the Visayas and Mindanao.

According to PCSO records, the new STL operations were launched in Romblon, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Southern Leyte, Leyte province, Agusan del Norte,

Agusan del Sur, Aklan Iloilo, Capiz, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay.

Only 12 corporations were allowed to operate in Quezon, Angeles City, Bataan, Laguna, Bulacan Negros Oriental, Iloilo, Pampanga, Tarlac and Ilocos Norte when the STL was launched in 2006.

In 2007, new permits were issued for STL operations in Albay, Olongapo City, Batangas. In 2008, operations were allowed in Zambales, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Isabela.

But instead of increasing, the operations resulted in a big drop in STL sales. From P8.4 billion in 2006, it dropped to P 1.9 billion in 2009.

The source said jueteng lords were able to secure franchises for STL, practically shielding them from police raids because it is legal.

Some of the gaming corporations were able to get permits to operate up to 2013, which were approved by the previous management of PCSO.

The renewed jueteng operations came as the new PCSO board headed by chair Margie Juico finalizes the review of the STL operations in various parts of Luzon.

The review is being conducted with the help of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, which has the list of all known gambling lords.