The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday turned over PHP300,000 as financial support to the center for victims of violence against women and children (VAW-C) in the province of Antique.

The assistance is under the Institutional Partnership Program (IPP) of the PCSO that intends to assist displaced elderlies and children meet their basic needs, said PCSO Antique head William Centina in an interview during the turnover ceremony at the VAW-C or the Pagsapupo Center, which is under the Antique Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) here.

“The PCSO is not only committed to provide medical assistance to patients but also to provide and augment for the health and welfare of the displaced individuals,” he said.

The center, which currently caters to 12 minor children who are victims of physical and other forms of abuse, for the first time received the assistance to help sustain their needs and operation.

Centina urged Antiqueños to support their gaming products such as lotto, small-town lottery and other digit games because part of the fund raised is allocated for charity such as the IPP.

“The assistance to the center is the PCSO’s way of giving back something for Antique,” he said.

Pagsapupo center head Careen Panaguiton, in a separate interview, said they intend to use some of the amount to buy school materials for the children in the center who are now having modular classes because of the pandemic.

The center has been accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to implement residential-based programs and services for women and children in crisis situation in compliance with the provision of Republic Act 4373 or An Act to regulate the practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for other purposes since Feb. 26, 2019. (PNA)