AS part of the efforts of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to settle its P4-billion debts incurred during the previous management and at the same time continue providing assistance to the poor, the state-run charity agency has introduced new policies aimed at reforms, particularly on the Institutional Financial Assistance Program (IFAP).

It was learned that the PCSO has decided to make the IFAP exclusively for health and medical purposes and this means that the agency will no longer grant non-medical related assistance to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and cause oriented groups.

This is why PCSO chairperson Margarita Juico is appealing to all the agency’s assisted charities and NGOs to bear with them.

“I hope they will understand that we are presently servicing our debts of P4 billion from the previous management in addition to this current year’s payables. Hopefully, we can settle everything at the end of the year,” she said.

The PCSO chair on January 11 issued a memorandum calling for the adoption of a policy which says that all the agency’s financial assistance to NGOs and charities of national character shall be used exclusively for health and medical purposes.

This means that NGOs requesting help from PCSO will no longer be allowed to used IFAP funds for administrative and miscellaneous expenses, such as water, light, transportation, honorarium, repair, maintenance and others.

Juico said that she hopes concerned NGOs, like foundations that care for the needy, downtrodden and sick Filipinos, will understand PCSO’s predicament.

“We in the PCSO are ready and willing to help as always. This is our mandate. We just have for the meantime to put our house in order. We might be able to help with administrative expenses in the future,” she said.

Juico also urged small NGOs to form one big group and try to have their own funds for their operation, while PCSO will help them with the health and medical needs of their wards.

She also suggested getting and accreditation from the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) to ensure proper coordination and control, as well as just dispensation of health and medical services for the poor.

The PCSO is receiving daily an average of 1,500 medical assistance requests nationwide and the number is expected to increase in the coming months. Despite the expected increase, the state charity agency assured that it is doing its best to accommodate and grant requests for assistance.

The PCSO even increased recently its daily allotment for assistance from P4.5 million to P11 million.