PCSO – Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office

Introduction

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has a long history of supporting charitable causes in the Philippines through lottery games. The agency was created in 1935 to provide fundraising for health and welfare programs through sweepstakes draws.

PCSO operates under the Office of the President of the Philippines and is mandated to provide funds for medical assistance and services, health programs, charities, and other social welfare activities. Revenues generated from PCSO’s lottery games go directly to their beneficiaries involved in medical assistance, indigents, persons with disabilities, education, and calamities.

Over the decades, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has become an iconic institution in the Philippines. Its lottery draws are broadcast on television and radio, making them a popular form of entertainment. Lotto, small town lottery (STL), instant scratch tickets, and digital games like e-lotto are the main products offered by PCSO. Through these games, the agency has contributed billions of pesos over the years to provide aid for the sick, youth, elderly, and other disadvantaged groups.

Today, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office operates over 200 branches nationwide and remains committed to its mission of supporting health and welfare programs for Filipinos through gaming revenues. The agency continues to modernize by offering digital lottery options while keeping the spirit of charitable fundraising at its core.

PCSO E-Lotto App

The PCSO E-Lotto app launched in October 2022, allowing players to purchase lottery tickets on their phones. Some key features of the app include:

• Buy tickets for lotto games like 6/42, 6/55, 6/58, Swertres, EZ2, STL, and 4D. No need to go to a lottery outlet.
• Check ticket status and view draw results. Get notified instantly if you win.
• Scan ticket barcode to verify. No more worrying about losing paper tickets.
• Secure payment options. Load funds to wallet and pay safely.
• Access lottery history and statistics. Improve your chances with more data.
• Ticket confirmation and receipts. All digitally stored in the app.
• Draw schedule reminders. Never miss your chance to play.
• Lottery news and updates. Stay on top of the latest from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

The E-Lotto app makes playing the lottery much more convenient. Players can access games anytime and anywhere through their mobile device. This provides an easy, safe, and modern way to participate in PCSO lotteries.

PCSO Lotto Games

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office offers the following lotto games:

Lotto 6/42

• The most popular PCSO game.
• Players choose 6 numbers from 1-42.
• Drawn every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱6 million.

Mega Lotto 6/45

• Choose 6 numbers from 1-45.
• Drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱9 million.

Super Lotto 6/49

• Pick 6 numbers from 1-49.
• Drawn every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱17 million.

Ultra Lotto 6/58

• Select 6 numbers from 1-58.
• Drawn every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱49.5 million.

Grand Lotto 6/55

• Choose 6 numbers from 1-55.
• Drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱30 million.

Lotto 6D

• Pick 6 numbers from 0-9.
• Drawn daily.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱250,000.

4-Digit Game

• Pick 4 numbers from 0-9.
• Drawn daily.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱10,000.

Swertres Lotto

• Choose 3 numbers from 0-9.
• Drawn 11 times daily.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱20.

EZ2 Lotto

• Pick 2 numbers from 1-31.
• Drawn 11 times daily.
• Minimum jackpot of ₱4.

STL Pares, Swer3, Swer2

• Small Town Lottery games.
• Similar to PCSO lotto games.
• Drawn 3 times daily.

PCSO Jackpot Prizes

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office offers some of the biggest jackpot prizes in the Philippines through its lotto games. Here’s a look at the current jackpot amounts for each game:

Game	Jackpot Prize
6/58 Ultra Lotto	₱383.3 Million
6/55 Grand Lotto	₱29.7 Million
6/49 Super Lotto	₱8.9 Million
6/45 Mega Lotto	₱8.9 Million
6/42 Lotto	₱5.9 Million
4-Digit Game	₱10,000

The 6/58 Ultra Lotto currently has the biggest jackpot, with the prize pool continuing to grow as there is no winner yet. The 6/55 Grand Lotto and the 6/49 Super Lotto also frequently have large jackpot prizes in the tens or hundreds of millions of pesos. Even the smaller lotto games like 6/42 Lotto and 4-Digit offer substantial prizes compared to other games.

The jackpot amounts keep increasing with every draw where there is no winner, until someone hits the winning combination. Once the jackpot is won, the prize resets to the base amount and starts increasing again. This creates huge jackpot fever when the top prizes have rolled over for many consecutive draws without a winner.

Where to Claim Prizes

To claim Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lottery prizes, winners must go through a process and visit authorized PCSO outlets.

The process begins by filling out a lottery claim form and presenting the winning ticket. This can be done at any authorized PCSO branch office or PCSO’s main office in Mandaluyong City. Winners need to bring valid IDs for verification.

For jackpot prizes above Php 10,000, the claim must be filed at the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office head office. For smaller prizes up to Php 10,000, winners can claim at provincial or regional PCSO offices.

Here is a list of authorized Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office outlets for claiming prizes:

• PCSO Head Office – 605 Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City
• PCSO Luzon regional offices – Located in La Union, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, and San Fernando City
• PCSO Visayas regional offices – Located in Tacloban, Iloilo, Cebu, and Bacolod
• PCSO Mindanao regional offices – Located in Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, General Santos, and Butuan
• Over 100 PCSO branch offices across the Philippines

Winners have 60 days from the draw date to claim their prizes at any of the above locations. Proper documentation and identification is required to ensure a smooth prize redemption process.

PCSO Outlets

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has over 1,500 outlets located across the Philippines. These outlets include Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office branches, kiosks, booths, and terminals where people can purchase lottery tickets and claim prizes.

The outlets are situated in strategic locations to make it convenient for people to access Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office lotteries. Majority of the outlets are in Luzon, particularly Metro Manila where population density is high. However, Visayas and Mindanao are also well-covered with hundreds of PCSO outlets.

People can find PCSO outlets in commercial areas and shopping malls in major cities like Quezon City, Manila, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Caloocan, Davao City, Cebu City, and more. There are also standalone PCSO branches and booths located in barangays, towns, and municipalities across the provinces to reach more Filipinos.

PCSO continues to expand its retail network by adding more outlets across the country. This provides greater accessibility for people to participate in PCSO lotteries that fund medical and healthcare programs for the less fortunate.

Charitable Causes

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is mandated by law to provide funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

A large portion of proceeds from Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office games goes towards supporting these causes. According to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office website, 55% of proceeds are allocated for the charity fund, 30% for the prize fund, and 15% for operating expenses.

Some of the key beneficiaries of PCSO’s charity fund include:

• Philippine General Hospital – The national university hospital receives support for its various health programs, upgrading of facilities, medical equipment, and more.
• Lung Center of the Philippines – Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office provides assistance for operational expenses, upgrading of facilities, and medical equipment for this specialty national hospital for pulmonary diseases.
• National Kidney and Transplant Institute – Funds are allocated for NKTI’s programs, operational expenses, facilities improvement, and medical equipment.
• Philippine Children’s Medical Center – PCSO supports PCMC’s operational expenses and its role as the leading pediatric hospital in the country.
• Other government hospitals – Various regional, provincial, and city government hospitals also receive financial support from PCSO for equipment, facilities, and programs.
• Health programs – PCSO provides funding for DOH immunization and vaccination programs, HIV/AIDS prevention, cancer control, family planning services, and more.
• Medical assistance – Indigent patients can apply for individual medical assistance from PCSO for hospitalization, chemotherapy, dialysis, medicines, and healthcare access.
• Calamity assistance – PCSO allocates funds to support relief operations and rebuilding efforts in areas affected by calamities and disasters.

Overall, PCSO plays a vital role in supplementing government health programs and providing medical assistance to Filipinos in need. The proceeds from its lottery games have helped improve healthcare access and services across the country.

Financials

The PCSO generates revenue primarily through lottery ticket sales. In 2021, the organization reported total revenues of PHP 56.5 billion. This was down from PHP 105 billion in revenues in 2020, likely due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

The biggest expense for PCSO is the prizes paid out to lottery winners. In 2021, PHP 28.9 billion was paid out in prizes. Other operating expenses totaled PHP 17.5 billion, including:

• Employee salaries and benefits (PHP 5.2 billion)
• Contracted services (PHP 4.3 billion)
• Taxes and licenses (PHP 2.1 billion)
• Rentals (PHP 1.5 billion)
• Depreciation (PHP 1.2 billion)

After expenses, PCSO had a net income of PHP 10.1 billion in 2021.

A major part of PCSO’s mandate is contributing funds to health and medical assistance programs. In 2021, the organization provided PHP 823 million in funds for individuals medical assistance, and PHP 1.7 billion to various hospitals and medical facilities. Additional contributions went to other charitable causes like education, livelihood, and social services.

Overall, PCSO contributed PHP 5.5 billion in funds to the Philippine Charity Fund in 2021. This was down from PHP 14.9 billion in contributions in 2020, again likely impacted by COVID-19.

Leadership

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office is led by General Manager Melquiades Robles. He oversees the operations and ensures the organization fulfills its mission of providing assistance to health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

The Board of Directors provides oversight and strategic guidance for the PCSO. The board is comprised of:

• Chairperson – Anselmo S. Pinili
• Member – Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II
• Member – Manuel L. Morato
• Member – Roman T. Romulo
• Member – Wilfredo M. Nieves

Together, the leadership team ensures the PCSO responsibly generates funds for health programs, medical assistance, and charities through its gaming operations. They aim to maintain integrity, transparency, accountability and credibility in the organization. The GM and Board of Directors are appointed by the President of the Philippines.

Conclusion

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has come a long way since its inception in 1935. From starting out with the sole purpose of raising funds for health programs and medical assistance to the poor, it has grown into a full-fledged government agency that provides financial support to various socio-civic and charitable institutions.

PCSO’s lottery operations remain the backbone of its fundraising efforts. Over the decades, the PCSO has introduced numerous lotto games that cater to different sectors and budgets. Its latest offering, the E-Lotto app, makes participating in lotteries more convenient and accessible to Filipinos.

While the PCSO has faced some controversies and challenges over the years, its impact on Philippine society is undeniable. The revenues generated from lotto and sweepstakes tickets have funded the construction of charity wards, hospitals, and health centers across the country. Countless Filipinos from impoverished backgrounds have received medical assistance sponsored by the PCSO.

Moving forward, the PCSO aims to expand its reach and increase revenues to support more health and charity programs. There are plans to roll out more digitized lotto games and make them available to wider audiences. The agency also intends to improve transparency measures and rebuild public trust.

With its mandated mission and dedication to uplifting lives through charity, the PCSO is well-positioned to continue making a difference in Philippine society for years to come. While profits and lottery operations remain essential, the organization’s success will ultimately be measured by the positive impact it creates.