THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) in Northern Mindanao is eyeing the inclusion of the economic data of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for the compilation of its economic activities in the region.
Suggestions were raised during a media forum held Wednesday to include the charitable institution in the economic studies of Neda and for the media to have access on its financial records.
Engineer Cecilio Y. Clarete, Neda assistant regional director, welcomed the suggestion as he noted that PCSO is one of the biggest income-generating government-owned corporations in the country.
“Well taken,” he said, as he vowed to immediately request copies of PCSO’s comparable report of its 2009 and 2010 financial records.
During the forum, Neda failed to include the PCSO’s economic profile on whether the economic condition of the betting corporation is gaining or losing.
Among the data to be retrieved from PCSO are records of the number of investments, expenses on charity programs, daily income, incurred expenses, daily winnings, daily amount of bets and number of bettors everyday.
“Supposedly, the media must do retrieving of data from the PCSO. But we would also include the number of franchise holders in the region,” Clarete said.
The PCSO is the principal government agency that raises and provides funds for health programs, medical assistance and services and charities.
The PCSO holds and conducts charity sweepstakes, races and lotteries and engages in health and welfare-related investments, projects and activities to provide for permanent and continuing sources of funds for its programs. It also undertakes other activities to enhance and expand such fund-generating operations as well as strengthen the agency’s fund-management capabilities.
The Neda regularly compiles reports submitted by different government agencies to be included in its quarterly regional economic situationer. Among the statistics compiled are related to agriculture, tourism, exports, investments, transportation and peace and order, among others.