LEFT, PCSO, the Blessedness of Giving", with a 1 Million Pesos First Pirze. Print ad. 1965.
“Loterias” were revenue-generating activities employed during
the Spanish colonial times; in fact. Dr. Jose Rizal won a Php 6,200 windfall in
1892. But it was only in 1932 that the
first Sweepstakes draw was conducted by the government to finance various
sports projects.
So successful was the venture that a similar sweepstakes draw
was held for the benefit of the Philippine Anti-Tuberculosis Society, held by a
group called National Charity Sweepstakes.
This led eventually to the institutionalization of the Sweepstakes as an official funds-raising
events to promote public health and welfare.
Thus, in 1935, the PHILIPPINE CHARITY SWEEPSTAKES OFFICE was created with
pres. Manuel L. Quezon’s approval of Act 4130.
The new agency held the first
Sweepstakes draw on Sept. 8, 1935. Backed by Filipinos for its humanitarian and
charitable missions, the PCSO has not
stopped holding Sweepstakes draw ever since,
PCSO embarked on regular advertising to drum up interest
for its Sweepstakes draws, and the biggest prizes were often reserved for the
holidays season—when people had more disposable income. The print ads had
seasonal themes—for example, Summer draws featured Maytime festivals, and the
Christmas draws had ads that featured local holiday traditions.
Draws in January predictably had a New Year’s theme, and
another favorite then was the Feast of 3 Kings, which had more significance to
Filipinos until the late 1960s.
In fact, it extended the Yuletide season by a
good week, with a fixed date of January 6. Today, of course, vacations end
after January 1.
Like the Three Kings, the ads say, the PCSO is driven by the same spirit—“to help many a hapless soul in charitable institutions not only on Christmas day, but the whole year round.
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