THE Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office official (PCSO) on Tuesday said that the agency is planning to put more satellite clinics in the country to accommodate more sick Filipinos in need of free health service and medical assistance.

Atty. Ferdinand Rojas, general manager of PCSO, during the media forum Bulong Pulungan sa Sofitel Philippine Plaza, said that the PCSO is now making the program to have more charity clinics in the country’s various regions.

“We’re still making up the program and we’re planning on a tie-up with hospitals,” he said, adding that the program is to be implemented by 2013.

Rojas added that the PCSO has a satellite clinic inside the Philippine Lung Center compound in Quezon City and another in Manila.

He said that with clinics in different provinces, people in the Visayas and in Mindanao, need not to go to Metro Manila to ask for assistance. Instead, they will just go to the nearest charity clinics.

On her part, PCSO Chairman Margarita Juico also in the same forum said that these clinics are expected to serve Filipinos who need free medical service.

Juico said that at least 1,000 Filipinos— people from different classes of the society—are coming to PCSO to ask for medical assistance.

PCSO is one of the government’s owned and controlled corporations authorized to raise funds and provide additional revenues through number games or lotteries for the promotion of public health and general welfare.

“PCSO charity clinics give free medical and dental services to its officials and employees, referrals and walk-ins, including the depressed barangays in country,” she said.

Meanwhile, Juico also assured public that the PCSO lotto games are conducted with full transparency and are carried out professionally.

She also pointed out that the lotto draws are covered live daily on television at 9 p.m. over NBN 4. A panel of judges composed of private individuals, witness the pre-draw, actual draw and post-draw procedures.

“In our office, the Lotto draw are held, there are also observers from the PCSO and various representatives from the public to protect the integrity of the system. The draws are open to the public,” she said.

According to Juico, 30 percent of the lotto sales fund the medical and health services of the indigent patients nationwide, including hospitalization assistance, medical/dental missions and ambulance donations, among charity concerns.

however, she said that if the lotto winners fail to claim their prizes within one year, the unclaimed prizes automatically go the charity fund.