Wasteful PCSO advertisement in the NBA Finals

One of the joys of retirement is to have all the time I need to sit in front of the television to watch the NBA, whether in the regular season or during finals. Years ago, the practice of law had priority. I just could not spend two hours in the morning to watch NBA or be held in contempt by a judge who would not like being treated less importantly.

For the third and fourth games between Dallas and Miami, I was rather very early as to have he chance to view the pre-game analysis, commentaries and predictions by the basketball’s former stars like Kevin McHale. Their thoughts helped me appreciate more the nuances of certain incredible plays. (By the way, let me hasten to say that Miami lost the 4th game because its other star Lebron James did not anymore know how to play basketball).

I actually chose a particular channel devoted to basketball on the supposition that it would be more expensive for companies to place their advertisement plugs there and consequently, there would be fewer interruptions. But, I noticed that among the commercials in the pre-game, the most dominant was that of the PCSO, yes, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office. I initially did not mind the spots, so, I failed to count the number PCSO plugs were aired.

When I realized that there were more spots from PCSO, than say the two other Cebu-based companies, I began to ask what were the advertisements for. This office does not need to advertise as it did. It is not created to siphon its earnings to support private media organizations. To ordinary people like me, PCSO’s main products like lotto and sweepstakes tickets, specially the former, sell without expensive television commercial plugs. If it really has to advertise, all it needs is a piece of chalk and a small blackboard and mark clearly how many millions are at stake for a certain draw and let word of mouth take over. Surely, people, lured by the slimmest of hopes to cash in on the lottery, flock even to the most remote stations to buy their tickets.

If I may have over simplified it, I only wish to demonstrate my frustration. It is totally unnecessary for the PCSO to advertise in the NBA finals. There is absolutely no work of charity involved in paying for those TV commercials. In all honesty, if we imagine anything about wasteful extravagance, (ciaro ug di ka sabut, wasteful na, extravagant pa jud!) the TV spots of the sweepstakes office fit the description.

It incensed me so much specially that earlier yesterday, barely few hours before the fourth NBA final game was beamed live, there were news footages of all television channels broadcasting news, showing school children housed in miserable conditions. Students were holding classes under some trees. Those pupils lucky enough to stay indoors had to bear with unimaginable over crowding. My God, if the millions of pesos spent by the PCSO to buy advertisement plugs in the NBA finals and in other tv programs, were only used to erect school buildings… if, if, if.

Then, I remembered that a lawmaker smelled something that to him, was highly irregular. This was reported only last week! He found out that the sweepstakes office had been spending billions of pesos in advertising campaigns. In his ongoing inquiry, he uncovered several contracts apparently executed by the top officials for unnecessary public relations, a euphemism. I wonder if the spots in the ongoing NBA finals were part of those contracts.

With the legislator leading relentlessly and the investigation proceeding in earnest, the investigators are likely to discover the rut, in the form of large commissions enjoyed by those officers who authorized the advertisements. Judging from the number of TV spots aired in the NBA finals, for instance, I am inclined to believe in the whispers about large amounts of kickbacks. As soon as these initial bits of information are validated and pieces of evidence are collated, let the investigators prosecute the plunderers to the fullest extent of the law.

In any case, I am sure that, in the future, there will be live television coverage of NBA finals, even if I do not anymore see PCSO advertisements aired in the show.