THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday denied allegations it has suspended the funding for hundreds of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other charity groups after it found out that some of them misused the financial aid.
PCSO Chairman Margarita Juico acknowledged that after a review of the list of its “institution partners,” mostly NGOs engaged in health and medical services, it discovered that some of the groups were not able to liquidate the funds.
“But we wish to assure our partners that the PCSO will not abandon them… we have not de-listed anyone from our system,” Juico said in a press conference, organized to deny a newspaper report on Sunday that the agency has stopped providing P110 million in annual financial assistance to 115 NGOs.
Juico said the PCSO’s system was designed to give funds to the NGOs on a quarterly basis. The funds, however, would not be disbursed if the organization fails to “liquidate” through the submission of a report stating how the disbursed funds were spent.
From 2005 to 2010, PCSO officials said 26 organizations failed to “liquidate” the funds given them, totaling about P11 million, or an average of less than half a million pesos each.
Juico said many of the organizations do not even have to hire an accountant to make a liquidation report, as in the case of the Daughters of Mary Mother of the Church, a Catholic group operated by nuns.
PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said their failure to liquidate was wrong but that he did not believe this was done on purpose.
“We will just remind them of their duties. In fact, we are ready to help them liquidate the funds,” Rojas said.
Still, the PCSO officials said the agency will look into the findings of the Commission on Audit that the donations were being used by some groups for items such as salaries and wages, electric and water bills, gasoline, transportation, and other housekeeping outlays.
“There must be some explanation for these. That is why we would be sitting down with these organizations to hear their side and listen to their explanations,” Juico said.
The PCSO is mandated to allot 30 percent of its funds for health and medical services, which may include the purchase of equipment for hospitals and ambulances, among other things, for local government units.
This year, the agency allotted P3.3 billion for its charity fund, up from last year’s P2.8 billion.
Meanwhile, Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales firmly said it would no longer seek help from the PCSO but will continue serving the poor through its existing programs on health, nutrition and scholarships despite the Church’s limited funds.
A prelate also expressed its disappointment over “malicious” accusations of Juico, saying he has evidence to prove that the funds were used for charity work and not spent for administrative expenses.
In an interview, Rosales said the members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines decided during their recent plenary assembly to stop soliciting or receiving funds from the PCSO.
In a separate interview, Caritas Manila Director Fr. Anton Pascual said the organization was ready to present papers that will prove Juico wrong.
“Tayo ay handanghumarapsakaninomangPilato.Malinisangatingkonsensya.Malinisangatingrecord.Napuntaitosamgamahihirap,”Pascual said over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
“Anghindimagandasakanya [Juico], with all due respect, mukhang generalized niyalangngorganisasyon. Matagalnangnagdesisyonang Caritas Boadsailalimni Cardinal Rosales nahindinahihingingpondosaPCSO, bago pa man lumabasangbalitangito [sapahayagan] at mag-e-endorse nalang kami sa PCSO,” Pascual told reporters.
He also stressed that all funds given to the organization, not only by the PCSO, are properly liquidated.
“We have papers to prove because every recipient was made to acknowledge what he or she received and in almost all instances, with accompanying pictures,” Pascual said. (With Sara Fabunan)
