The General Manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Melquiades Robles, has been elected as a member of the Executive Committee of the Asia Pacific Lottery Association (APLA).
The election of the PCSO official as the latest member of the Committee took place at the APLA’s Annual General Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The members are set to serve for two years, until the conclusion of the AGM in 2026.
Speaking of his appointment, Robles noted that “being named to this position meant that my fellow gaming leaders recognize and appreciate the initiatives that we have been implementing at PCSO. These reforms have resulted in more revenues for the agency, which we translated into more charity programs for the people especially the poor.”
Robles is the first Filipino to serve on the Executive Committee.
During the AGM, Michael Fitzsimons, Executive Director, Wagering Products for the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) was elected Chairman, while the CEO of Singapore Pools, Lam Chee Weng was elected Vice Chairman.
Joining Robles on the Executive Committee are the President of the Japan Lottery Association, Kazuhisa Yamaguchi; Chief Executive of Lotto New Zealand Jason Delamore; Kapil Khanna, Chief Mentor, Future Gaming & Hotel Services; and Thierry Gabarret, CEO of La Pacifique Des Jeux.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp (PAGCOR) have been embroiled recently over remittances to the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). The nation’s Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that PAGCOR should remit 5 percent of gross income to the PSC from 1993 to the present, while the PCSO should remit 30 percent of the charity fund of sweepstakes and lottery draw from 2006 to the present.
