MANILA - The general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Monday apologized to a lawmaker for failing to give financial assistance to a COVID-19 hospital in Misamis Occidental.

During a briefing at the lower chamber, Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oaminal sought the explanation of PCSO Royina Garma why Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Medical Center was not included, when it was a hospital serving coronavirus patients.

“Ito po 'yung first response namin and wala na po kaming second wave na funds na calamity assistance na naibigay sa iba pang hospitals that also requested for assistance,” Garma said.

Their funds, she said, were depleted the moment the PCSO lottery games were stopped in March because of the pandemic. The state charity office only sustained their medical access program, their financial assistance for the patients.

“Kung ano na lang pong nagkasya na naiwan na kinita namin from January to March, 'yun na lang po yung pinagkasya din namin,” said Garma.

She said they provided assistance to 14 local government units and 82 hospitals across the country, worth P463 million. This didn't include the hospital from the district of Oaminal.

“Kung hindi po naisama yung hospital, kami po’y humihingi po dispensa, Mr. Chair. Ngayon po nag-resume 'yung operation namin, kung maganda po ang pagbebenta po namin ng ticket, we will now reconsider other hospitals,” said Garma.

Oaminal however said her explanation was “a little bit unsatisfactory” because the said hospital has always been one of the DOH-accredited facilities to cater to COVID-19 patients in the province, Lanao Del Norte and Zamboanga Del Sur.