SMALL TOWN LOTTERY

Small Town Lottery, or STL, was introduced in 2005 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a replacement for Jueteng. This was done to democratize philanthropy at both the local and national levels. 

The S-T-L would be tested on December 28, 2005, according to a resolution passed by the PCSO Board of Directors. Resolution No. 464 also established the guidelines for how STL will be conducted in a few Luzon experimental districts.

The new STL is a more democratic version of the community-based lottery and charity initially implemented under President Corazon Aquino. The new, strengthened STL was deployed in mid-February 2006 in test-run mode, taking into account the knowledge gained from the initial STL.

Thanks to this experimental feature, the new STL can implement necessary changes during its test-run phase. It is a function that was not present in the first STL.

By operating under a test-run mode after one (1) year, the PCSO Online Lotto was able to implement the necessary improvements to make the game work as a local government-based fundraising tool for the PCSO, even though the new STL offered a source of income for individuals who had been evicted as a result of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s anti-jueteng program.

The PCSO entered into agreements with private businesses for the STL test runs, assuming a deal could be canceled if a firm breached any clauses in the approved contract. The National Police Commission and PCSO announced STL operation instructions at the end of March 2006. to police officers. 

At the end of March 2006, the National Police Commission and PCSO released STL operation guidelines—officers of the law. According to the regulations, police cannot detain anyone permitted by the PCSO to run the STL unless there is a complaint from the PCSO, local government authorities, religious organizations, or non-governmental organizations. 

Operators who break Republic Act 9287, often known as the Anti-illegal Gambling Act, may also be arrested.Under the STL charity fund-sharing system, STL’s income will be distributed as follows: 10% to cities or municipalities; provincial government, 5%; congressional district, 2.5%; and PNP, 5%. 

The STL revenues will go straight to the local government entities, essentially decentralizing the utilization of charitable donations. It will be delivered to the city treasurer’s office. PCSO and STL signed a memorandum of understanding (MOA) to allocate the funds that STL granted to local government organizations. 

(MOA) on how to distribute the cash provided to local government entities by STL. PCSO Elotto will receive the remaining 7.5% of the charitable fund. The STL’s implementation has enabled PCSO to give rapid and tailored financial support for health and development initiatives across numerous localities.

By the end of 2007, PCSO had 15 authorized test run zones used to launch the STL.  These are the following: Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Pampanga, Laguna, Bulacan, Negros Oriental, Iloilo City, Tarlac, Oriental Mindoro, Ilocos Norte, Albay, and Occidental Mindoro are among them.

STL produced sales of more than 3B during its first year of operations (2006-2007), The PCSO has temporarily stopped processing new applications for the Small Town Lottery (STL) agency pending a comprehensive project review. 

The PCSO Board of Directors supported a suggestion made by its Technical Working Group that the organization complete its evaluation of the STL dry-run before taking fresh applications from gaming proponents.

“The STL is being thoroughly reviewed to “A thorough assessment of the STL is being conducted to implement all the characteristics required to make its operations as open, truthful, and reputable as the lottery.”

Depending on the overall conclusions of the evaluation, PCSO Online Lotto may resume accepting applications after completing its STL assessment, according to PCSO General Manager Rosario C. Uriarte.