AGENTS and employees of Small Town Lottery (STL) outlets in Cebu will soon be able to go back to work six months after STL operations were suspended because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced in an advisory on Tuesday morning, Sept. 29, 2020, that effective Thursday, Oct. 1, operations of STL authorized agent corporations (AACs) can resume provided they follow prescribed conditions.
There are four AACs in Cebu scattered in Mandaue City (200 outlets), Lapu-Lapu City (200 outlets), City of Naga (2,500 outlets) and Cebu City (2,000 outlets.)
The PCSO said the STL AACs should have no shortfall or deficiency in the cash bond as certified by the branch operations sector and accounting and budget departments.
The STL AACs should also comply with the approved health and safety protocol endorsed by the branch operations sector.
They should also sign the deed of undertaking prepared by the PCSO Legal Department for the resumption of operations under the adjusted remittance scheme as approved by the President.
On July 26, 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte suspended all PCSO-licensed games over “massive” corruption in the state agency. A month after, he lifted the suspension with certain conditions:
1. The STL operator must deposit with the PCSO a cash bond equivalent to three months of the PCSO’s share in the guaranteed monthly retail receipts. This is on top of its existing cash bond.
2. The AAC’s cash bond equivalent to three months of the PCSO’s share in the guaranteed monthly receipts will be “automatically forfeited” in favor of PCSO if it cannot remit its sales in full and on time.
3. The AAC complies with its obligations under the STL agency agreement and will not institute any claims, monetary or otherwise, against the government. It will not seek a temporary restraining order or injunction from any court.
4. The STL agency agreement will be automatically terminated when any of the conditions are violated.
As of November 2019, the Cebu City-based STL AAC, was still not open for business. SunStar Cebu, however, has yet to get updates from the PCSO Cebu branch.
Glen Jesus Rada, PCSO Cebu branch head, earlier said their office had yet to receive any document or notice from their head office regarding the Cebu City-based STL AAC, which had failed to settle its guaranteed monthly minimum retail receipt deficit amounting to around P200 million. (WBS)