AFTER four days that President Rodrigo R. Duterte ordered the suspension of all games operating under the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) due to "massive" corruption, he ordered the immediate resumption of all lotto outlets nationwide.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, in a statement issued July 30, said that according to Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, the suspension of lotto operations has been ordered lifted by the President.
However, the President was firm that all the other gaming operations with franchises, licenses or permits by the PCSO such as Small Town Lottery (STL), Keno and Peryahan ng Bayan remain suspended pending the result of the ongoing probe on its illegal activities and corrupt practices.
The July 26 directive of the President to stop all PCSO-licensed gaming schemes came as a shock indeed for most ordinary Filipinos who have been keeping their hopes high and trying their luck on the bets they place to these PCSO gaming activities, not to mention the countless others who also rely their livelihood on these gaming schemes. We really can't blame them though, we could not judge them as well.
Hundreds, if not thousands, are affected by the suspension order. With lotto back in operation, it may somehow serve as a breather for those affected.
As for the fate of the other PCSO gaming activities, the President still has the final say once the investigation is complete. We can be at least be assured that he knows what he's doing. We could just credit him for his tireless efforts to purge corruption in government, a promise he has been trying so hard to accomplish before his term ends in 2022.
Hoping though that whatever the outcome of the probe on PCSO, his next move would still consider the welfare of Filipinos.