ILOILO CITY, Aug. 13 (PNA) — Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. expressed confidence that the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will announce its chosen operator for Small Town Lottery (STL) operation in Iloilo next week.
“I am confident that it will be done next week,” Defensor said.
PCSO general manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas said last July 22 that the operation of STL in Iloilo would start this August.
The governor pointed out that waiting for the announcement is already long overdue and until now, PCSO is yet to announce which among the four applicants will be chosen.
The four applicants for the operation were D’ World Gaming Corporation, Fairpoint Marketing Corporation, Iloilo Small Town Corporation and the Iloilo PMV Gaming Corporation.
The application was for the authority of the applicants to operate the STL official and legal lottery gaming under the PCSO sanctions and authority, and with the Iloilo Provincial Government’s permission and support.
Defensor pointed out that the national and the provincial government, the Philippine constabulary and the municipalities have lost and been deprived by the revenues because there is no authorized STL operator in the area like the Iloilo province.
“Nothing goes to the government, it all goes to the illegal operators, “Defensor added.
However, he explained that in areas with legally authorized STL operators, the portion of the income of the operators goes to the national, provincial, and municipal government and to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Recently, Defensor endorsed the Iloilo PMV Gaming Corporation since he is familiar with the operator and a native of the province. He explained that it is important to be familiar with the background of the operator and its track record.
“If there’s no complaint against the STL operator in Iloilo, (then) it is better that we endorse one that really comes from Iloilo which we know,” Defensor further said. (PNA)