'To endorse or not to endorse' puzzler bugs Parcon
Despite the pressure from both camps, City Councilor Armand Parcon, chair of the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) Committee on Games, Amusement and Professional Sports vowed to issue a fair decision on whether or not to allow Small Town Lottery (STL) to operate in the city.
His committee concluded the series of public hearings on the matter last Friday with representatives from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), operator of STL, as resource persons.
A favorable endorsement from the SP is needed before PCSO could operate the STL.
Parcon admitted that he is a bit pressured as both camps, the pro and the con, have their own reasonable positions on the issue.
But the councilor said he will not be swayed by pressure from any camps. He said, he will base his decision on what his committee had gathered from the public hearings.
Parcon said a committee report will be rendered to the City Council in two to three weeks.
The report will still be subject for deliberation by the council, he said.
Parcon said the final decision whether or not to endorse STL operation in the city will be made by the entire body (SP).
Two firms showed interest to operate STL in Iloilo City. These are: Iloilo Small Town Lottery and Gaming Corp. and Green Diamond Ventures Corp.
The former is composed of several barangay captains and known "daily double" operators as incorporators while the latter claims to be composed of a group of businessmen.
Parcon, however, said the determination as to which firm be granted the right to operate STL in the city rests with the PCSO.
Parcon noted that in the four public hearings they have conducted most of the attendees belong to the pro-STL groups.
Anti-STL groups like the Catholic church represented by Msgr. Meliton Oso appeared only during the first hearing.
PCSO Department Manager for Special Projects Romualdo V. Quiñonez on Friday was elated by the outcome of the last day of the public hearings where all the attendees belong to pro-STL groups.
Quiñonez was also pleased that most of the barangay officials in the city are in favor of STL.
He said of all the areas in the country he had been to as resource speaker for STL operation the Iloilo scenario was "overwhelming."
Quiñonez cited that the city will benefit a lot from the STL operation as 10 percent of the 30 percent of the total gross collection called as charity fund will go to the city. The charity fund is 30 percent. Out of the 30 percent, 10 percent will go the city, 5 percent province/PCSO, 5 percent for PNP, 2.5 percent for the district and 7.5 for the PCSO again.
The PCSO representative said they have rules and regulations to impose on the authorized STL outlet to make sure they remit and declare properly their collections. Any violation of the PCSO rules and regulations is tantamount to the revocation of their permit to operate.