PCSO finding ways to reopen 2,000 closed lotto outlets

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Melquiades Robles on Thursday said they are looking for ways to restore the operations of the 2,000 lotto outlets that were shut down.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Robles said that it would benefit the PCSO more if there would be more physical lotto outlets nationwide.

“Ako hanggang ngayon naghahanap na ako (ng paraan) at meron na kami. Ayaw ko lang ho i-preempt,” he said.

(We’ve actually found a solution. I just want to preempt.)

“Meron ho (solusyon). Tandaan nniyo, it is to our benefit na magkaron ng mas maraming outlets,” he added.

(There’s already a solution. Remember, it is to our benefit to have more outlets.)

Lawmakers from the House of Representatives earlier questioned the closure of 2,000 lotto outlets across the country without notifying agents.

The PCSO initially said the outlets were closed for failing to reach the sales target, but it was later on revealed during a House hearing that there was no sales target for agents.

"Hindi underperformance kasi unilaterally nag-decide na tanggalin ang 2,000 agents dahil nag-decide sila unilaterally na i-reduce ang capacity basically from 8,500 to 6,500," said Marikina Representative Stella Quimbo.

(It's not because of their underperformance because PCSO unilaterally decided to fire 2,000 agents because they unilaterally decided to reduce the outlets basically from 8,500 to 6,500.)

Robles said that this issue happened even before he was at the helm of PCSO.

“Even before I came, nauna na ‘yung decision na ‘yun na i-tear down sa 6,500 ang mga lotto outlets. Ang sabi ng predecessor namin, ‘yun lang ang gagamitin nila muna kasi may bagong system, ang Philippine Lottery System,” he said.

(The decision to tear down the lotto outlets to 6,500 was made even before I came. My predecessor said that they would only need that much because there’s a new system called Philippine Lottery System.)

The PCSO official also said the matter should be discussed internally because it’s a management issue. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News