Go pushes for final PSC funding ruling

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Monday joined the sports community in expressing hope that the Supreme Court would soon issue a final ruling on the mandated remittances of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). Under the law, PAGCOR must remit 5 percent of its income to the PSC, while PCSO must turn over 30 percent of the charity fund generated from its draw proceeds.

In 2024, the Supreme Court ordered both agencies to remit the required portions of their income to help fund the PSC. The ruling stemmed from a petition seeking to compel PAGCOR, PCSO, and the Office of the President to comply with Republic Act 6847, the law creating the PSC. A motion for reconsideration has since been filed with the High Court.

“The Supreme Court ordered PAGCOR to account for and remit the full 5 percent of its gross annual income from 1993 to the present in favor of the PSC. That means they already won,” Go said during the interpellation of the PSC’s 2026 budget.

“The Court also ordered PCSO to account for and remit 30 percent of the charity fund from six sweepstakes or lottery draws per year, including lotto draws, from 2006 to the present. So they already won,” he added.

Go lamented the PSC’s current financial standing, saying, “Right now, the national government is giving the PSC so little. If it were a cake, it would be just 0.001 — maybe just the sugar on the icing.”

He reiterated his commitment to pushing for more sports funding, emphasizing how small the PSC’s share in the national budget is compared to the immense honor and inspiration Filipino athletes bring to the country.

“When our athletes win, the pride they bring to our nation is enormous. But their share in the National Expenditure Program is so small. That’s why I hope this issue reaches finality soon because the Philippine Sports Development Funds would be a huge help to them,” Go stressed.

The senator added that he will continue working with his colleagues in the Senate to ensure that sports programs receive the resources necessary to develop more champions in the years to come.

“Let’s work together for our athletes,” Go urged. “We can clearly see that the support we give them is worth it.”