Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the PCSO 90th Anniversary
Maraming salamat. Thank you, PCSO Chairman Felix Reyes. [Please be seated.]
Ang General Manager ng PCSO, GM Mel Robles; the Chief of Staff and one of the awardees of – the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines General Romeo Brawner; the Commanding General of the Philippine Air Force Lieutenant General Stephen Parreño; First Lady Louise Araneta, who is actually a beneficiary again for PCSO because of her project Lab For ALL at marami silang ginagawa ni Mel at saka ni Chairman [applause] ; my fellow workers in government; and, of course, our all important partners in the private sector; other distinguished guests; the awardees who had received awards for their good work this evening, magandang gabi sa inyong lahat. [applause]
Today, we celebrate 90 remarkable years of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office or PCSO, an institution that has been, for many, a beacon in times of darkness.
Nine decades—almost a century of hope, a lottery of chances, and a whole lot of dreams funded, healed, and realized.
Since its founding, the PCSO has embedded itself into the lives and dreams of our people, reaching out to those who may otherwise feel left behind.
Ninety years ago, the visionaries behind the PCSO laid the foundation for an institution that is dedicated to helping alleviate the plight of the people, especially the marginalized sectors of our society.
The journey they began was ambitious, uniting the power of chance with the power of purpose, creating not just a system of funding, but a helping hand for Filipinos in need.
And they succeeded, laying the foundation for a legacy that continues to change lives until today.
One person whose life was touched through your dedicated work here in the PCSO is Walter Mejia from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Mr. Mejia, now 50, has lived with Polycystic Kidney Disease for two decades. Last year, through the PCSO’s Medical Assistance Program, he was able to access 600,000 pesos for his kidney transplant.
In line with strengthening our healthcare access, the PCSO’s Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program provides ambulances and patient transport vehicles to local government units, hospitals, and organizations in vulnerable communities as well as in far-flung areas.
In Donsol, Sorsogon, there was no ambulance for years. People needing urgent care would have to wait, sometimes too long, for help. When the PCSO donated a patient transport vehicle (PTV) last year, it brought a sense of security, a reminder that every Filipino deserves quick [and] proper care, no matter where they live.
To make its 90th year even more meaningful, the PCSO donated this afternoon 90 PTVs to the different LGUs. [applause] This will help reach more Filipinos, especially those who are in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
Considering our country’s geography, these vehicles are crucial in the face of crises and calamities.
Then there are the young ones—children who deserve every opportunity to grow up healthy, to be loved, and supported.
The Tahanan ng Pagmamahal Children’s Home in Pasig cares for children who have faced different kinds of hardships. Through the PCSO’s Institutional Partnership Program, Tahanan received a grant last year to help cover food, milk, and medical expenses for these children.
In a way, this is a quiet promise to each child that there is a community standing behind them, rooting for them, for their future, even when life has given them a tough start.
They are among the countless lives touched by the PCSO’s mission.
Each of them tells us that this work of this institution is woven into the fabric of our communities, meeting people at their most vulnerable and giving them the strength to carry on. It is a quiet and often unseen role, but has proven to be an essential one.
So, tonight, as we celebrate this milestone, I call upon everyone at PCSO to remember the heart of what you do.
Continue upholding integrity, benevolence, and excellence.
To all the officials and employees of the PCSO—past, and present, and future—thank you. [applause]
Thank you for your dedication and for the countless hours that you have put into making this institution a pillar of hope.
May you continue to serve with the same spirit of compassion and courage that has defined the PCSO for many generations.
Here’s to 90 more years of making dreams possible, of turning small acts of chance into lasting change for all Filipinos.
Mabuhay ang PCSO!
Mabuhay ang bawat Pilipino!
Maraming, maraming salamat po, at mabuhay tayong lahat!
Magandang gabi po sa inyong lahat. [applause]
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