More than 250 stakeholders — ranging from government agencies to private institutions and civil society groups — gathered on Friday to affirm their support for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) programs at the 2025 Charity Summit.

The event, built around collaboration and shared responsibility, highlighted the PCSO’s role not only as the country’s principal funding arm for charity work but also as a key partner in advancing healthcare access nationwide.

“True impact is achieved when government, institutions, and civil society work hand in hand, united by a common purpose: to bring charity and healthcare closer to the Filipino people,” said PCSO general manager Melquiades A. Robles in his keynote address.

Robles underscored that the agency’s initiatives take their cue from the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who in his recent State of the Nation Address emphasized the need to strengthen and modernize the healthcare system.

The summit also brought together voices from various sectors. DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Monina Josefina Romualdez reminded participants that charity work creates “ripples of kindness” that extend far beyond direct beneficiaries, while Presidential Action Center head Ryan Joseph A. Sartre spoke of the moral obligation to participate in humanitarian programs and partnerships.