Lower house holds hearings on proposed 2025 budgets of PAGCOR, PCSO
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00:00Lawmakers believe the void in terms of loss in government revenue due to the total ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators, or POGOs, should somehow be filled up.
00:10Thus, a question was raised to a concerned government office on how this will be done.
00:15Fortunately, the said agency already has something in mind to compensate for the loss in earnings.
00:21Mela Lesmora supplies the details to that in this report.
00:26The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has assured the public of various measures to further increase government's revenue.
00:34This following the total POGO ban declared by President Ferdinand R. Marquez, Jr., which is expected to result in the loss of billions of pesos in government earnings.
00:43During the budget briefing of the House Committee on Appropriations, PCSO Chairperson Felix Reyes said even before the banning of POGO, they were already thinking of ways to increase their projected revenue.
00:55In their presentation, the agency reported about their plans to launch new games and betting platforms.
01:01They also want to further expand their offices and branches while also pushing for digitalization.
01:07From 2022 up to first semester of 2024, the PCSO also presented its financial report, as well as significant accomplishments from its medical assistance programs to its charity works.
01:38I think it is very important that we do not face the loss, but at the same time, we should be able to fill it.
01:45So that the government will not be too hurt when it comes to revenue collection.
01:51We really aim to increase our revenue.
01:55Our direction is to add more betting platforms.
02:02During our board meeting, we discussed the corporate owned chain of business.
02:12We will look for companies that have a lot of chain of business.
02:18We will also launch another variant of lottery.
02:24This is our lottery billionaire.
02:28Aside from the PCSO, officials from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, led by PACOR Chairman Alejandro Tenco, also attended the budget briefing.
02:38As expected, the issues concerning POGOs were raised once again, which the agency has thoroughly addressed.
02:44In the coming days, budget deliberations will continue at the lower house, and several lawmakers shared what agency or programs they intend to focus on.
02:53I would like to look into number one, DPWH.
02:58I would like to look into MMDA.
03:01I would like to see a national flood control plan to totally address the challenges brought about by climate change.
03:12I would like to know how DBM is able to allocate funds for the final completion of the normalization process.
03:26We're talking about how the national government would be able to provide assistance for those armed combatants who are to be decommissioned.
03:39We will be questioning the DOTR time and time again.
03:42We are first termers, but for the past, this will be our third budget that we will be scrutinizing.
03:48The license plate is still a problem. The driver's license is still a problem. We will be looking into that.
03:53Melales Moras from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.