The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said that they are losing around half a million pesos a day due to canceled lotto tickets.
Philippine Online Lotto Agents Association President Evelyn Javier said in a senate hearing presided by Senator Raffy Tulfo, that agents are now having a hard time since cancellation was removed.
The PCSO defended its decision on the canceled tickets.
“We learned na yung cancellation po, yan po yung tumaya, tapos sasabihin, cancelled pala. So nabigyan na ng ticket, tapos ika-cancel. Alam niyo po kung magkano it’s costing us? P500,000 to P600,000 a day, cost of cancellation,” said Melquiades Robles, PCSO general manager.
Robles added that they have monitored one branch with more cancellations than transactions.
“In one case, there were 14,000 cancellations, yung sale niya is 9,000,” said Robles.
The PCSO has apologized for editing the photo of the lotto winner previously posted on their social media account.
Read: PCSO apologizes for editing photo of lotto winner
“Part ‘yan ng pag-conceal kasi na-a-identify ang damit. For example, that day, ‘yung mga kapitbahay, nag-ano, ‘uy yun yung suot niya.’ Nagreklamo. Favorite clothes daw niya kasi,” said Robles.
“If there’s something we apologize for, it’s the poor editing, but it serves the purpose of concealing the identity,” added Robles.
Tulfo wants to know the identities of lotto winners to cross check if they are real bettors and not PCSO “katropa”.
“Itong picture na ito very controversial ito sa social media, edited daw ito?” Tulfo asked.
“Yes your Honor. We have to protect the identity of the winner,” said Robles.
