IPINAHAYAG ni Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan nitong Lunes ang pagbibigay ng lisensya sa 13 bagong Small Town Lottery (STL) agents para sa unang semester ng taon.

“We would like to welcome these new STL agents. We have also terminated some agents for violating provisions in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of STL. This only goes to show that we will not hesitate to terminate them,” pahayag ni Balutan.

Batay sa impormasyon ng Branch Operations Sector, na pinamumunuan ni Assistant General Manager Remeliza Gabuyo, ang bagong ahente na binigyan ng prangkisa ay ang Mountain View Games of Chance Corporation sa lalawigan ng Kalinga at Apayao; Red Carpet Gaming Corporation of Province ng Siquijor; Zamboanga Amusement and Recreational Incorporated sa Zamboanga Sibugay.

Kabilang din ang Fairways Management and Gaming Corporation sa Zamboanga Del Norte, Mindanao ABCD Corporation sa Dinagat, JGM Gaming Leisure Corporation of Saranggani, Scorpio Games and Amusement Inc. ng Bohol, Jy Archers Games & Entertainment Corporation ng South Cotabato, Goldfranc Amusement and Gaming Corp. ng Ifugao, Red Subay Gaming Corporation ng Iloilo Province, Nuebe Swerte Inc. ng Davao Occidental, at Top Gem Gaming Inc., sa Cavite City.

Ang STL ay ang legal na lugar para makapaglaro ang mamamayang Pinoy, sa pangangasiwa ng PCSO – itinalagang ahensiya para mangasiwa ng lottery game batay sa Section 1 ng Republic Act 1169.

Ang ASA (Authorized STL Agents) ay mga korporasyon na rehistrado sa Securities and Exchange Commission o may pirma ng Cooperative Development Authority.

“From January to July this year, we already have 82 operating AACs with a total of P11,661,122,165.28 overall sales (excluding gross payment of Presumptive Monthly Retail Receipt shortfall),” pahayag ni Balutan.

Tumaas sa 89 porsiyento ang nakuhang revenue sa parehong taon nang nakalipas na season na kumita lamang ng P6,177,109,388.53, habang ang bilang ng mga gumaganang AACs ay may 37 percent na mas mataas sa nakalipas na taon.

Nakadagdag din ng trabaho ang STL na may kabuuang 269,662 cobradores (sales representatives), 21,158 caboes (sales supervisor), and 11,716 organic STL employees for an overall total of 302,536.

“STL has provided ‘legal’ jobs for people who were used to ‘illegal numbers game’. They are the ones who cannot even pass the nitty-gritties of job fairs due to age, lack of education, and physical disability. We have saved them from vices – example drugs – and from being exploited by criminals. STL is giving them and their families a decent life,” sambit ni Balutan.

“Figures for caboes are expected to shoot up again this year with the introduction of the new STL agents,” aniya.