PCSO welcomes authorized scrutiny

One of the most maligned government agencies is the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Consequently, its chair, Margarita Juico, spends precious time defending herself and the office for anomalies committed by her predecessors, or explaining to the Commission on Audit falsehoods being hurled at her office. Some of the charges are raised in erroneous media reports that lift things out of context, or are unfounded and malicious.

On the charge that the PCSO Provident Fund’s allowances and bonuses were used to pay taxes, for example, Chair Juico says, “not true,” as these were regularly received by employees since the time of President Fidel V. Ramos. The Employees Medical Assistance Program (EMAP) was conceived during the term of Justice Cecilia Munoz Palma pursuant to a law requiring employers to establish a medical assistance program for its employees, she says.  

The EMAP was later on changed by the present board to an access program granting employees access to necessary assistance in times of health and medical emergencies subject to the same documentary requirements and processes required from individuals seeking PCSO’s assistance.

Through the years, these allowances and bonuses were institutionalized through inclusion in the collective negotiating agreement with the Sweepstakes Employees Union (SEU), the recognized employees union of the PCSO.

In 2011, according to Juico, the SEU requested that allowances and benefits be released through the Provident Fund as part of the equity enhancement program to enable the SEU to undertake projects and development programs for its members and for other socio-civic activities. The PCSO employees through the SEU has donated relief and financial assistance to victims of typhoons Sendong and Pablo.

Another critical issue is with regard to regulations on compensation for members of the board of the GOCCs (Government Owned and Controlled Corporations). Executive Order 24 issued in October 2010 approved and authorized fixed limits on compensation and benefits of members of the board of GOCCs. The PCSO board started complying with this EO in January 2012. However, on May 19, 2011, the Office of the President through Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa approved and authorized the grant of benefits regularly received and enjoyed before Sept. 8, 2010 by all PCSO officials, employees and directors. PCSO office is waiting for clarification from the OP on this matter.

According to Chair Juico, as an agency attached to the Office of the President, PCSO “is in a unique industry as the exclusive operator of State-run lotteries. PCSO has a strategic function and specific and strict statutory limitations on how its revenue will be disbursed (i.e., from the net receipts the funds shall be disbursed as follows: 55% for prizes, 30% for charity, and 15% for operating expenses).

Says Juico: “Towards the promotion of its mandate, the PCSO board has embarked upon various programs to settle PCSO tax arrears and past due obligations, and embarked upon various cost-efficiency generating measures to expand revenues and enhance its ability to fulfill its mandate of serving indigents.”

The PCSO Board, says Juico, “supports the government’s drive to be transparent, cost-effective and economical and we welcome any official and authorized scrutiny into our financials and performance.”

To set the record straight, says Juico, as of January 2012, the board has ceased to receive salaries, allowances and other compensation and are now only receiving per diems provided for regular board and committee meetings.”

The board officials and members now receive — for chairperson, P24,000 per meeting for a maximum of two meetings per month; for directors, P20,000 per meeting for a maximum of two meetings per month; for committee meetings each member, including the chair, receives a maximum of P12,000 per meeting.

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The Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Society of the Philippines is holding a convention on March 18 and 19 at the Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila on the theme “The Expanding Milieu of Adolescent Health: Gynecology and Gender Issues.”          

Dr. Corazon Yabes Almirante, president of the Pediatric Adolescent Gynecological Society of the Philippines, sent us her thoughts on sex and gender sensitivity.     

“Sex means a person is male or female (a biological trait). Gender means a man or a woman have roles, traits and behaviors that conform to society’s concepts of what is typical for a woman and what is typical for a man. So a woman is ‘mahinhin’ or self-effacing; a man is ‘matapang’ or courageous; a woman is the homemaker, a man is the breadwinner.

 â€œWhat if the traits and the roles are interchanged? Does the man or the woman become less of a man or a woman? They are, in the eyes of society that adhere to ‘rigid traditions’ and ‘prejudiced values,’ and this is called ‘gender bias.’ The process through which society puts roles, traits and forms of behavior typical of men and women is called the ‘gendering process.’ Why can a man leave home at night to go out with friends while a woman can’t and should stay home? This is sometimes shown in most tele-novelas and pointing out this ‘gender bias’ means ‘sensitizing.’ Thus gender sensitivity. Women are often vulnerable and sensitizing them sets them free and emancipated, getting them out of dependence, rigid traditions and prejudiced values. 

“What are the media messages that girls and boys imbibe on too much TV and music video viewing? That being thin and having a 6-pack abdomen increase their chances of a romantic relationship. The teenagers become dissatisfied with their own bodies if they don’t meet the thin ideal. They develop low self esteem, become depressed and perform poorly in school. 

For more on the topic of gender sensitivity, Dr. Rosa Ma. Nancho, over-all chair of the convention, and Dr. Almirante are inviting  pediatricians, gynecologists, nurses, midwives, social workers, members of organizations involved with adolescents, to attend the two-day convention. The following topics about the teen will cover: “Getting to Know the Teen,” “Teens and Their Environment,” “Sectoral Response to Teen Issues and Controversies,” “Gender Awareness and Sensitivity in the Care of the Teen,” “Gynecological Examination of the Teen: Should it be Done? By Whom?”  

Efren Penaflorida was invited to talk about harnessing the youth to gender awareness.

For inquiries, email [email protected], or call 9246602 loc. 236, 322; Drs. Lilibeth A. Castro, 0923-8275920, and Darlene Minette Zamora, 0922-8710188. 

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Email: [email protected]