HERE’S A GAMBLE WORTH TAKING FOR the Philippine Sports Commission.

The PSC has turned to a game of luck which it hopes will boost the national athletes’ war chest by at least P5 million this year.

A special series of Scratch and Win lottery tickets called “Go For Gold” will soon be available after the PSC teamed up with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office in an effort to raise funds for the country’s athletes.

“This is the answer to our [financial] limitations,” PSC chair Harry Angping said during the project’s official launch Friday at the PSC administration building in Manila.

Five percent of the tickets’ P100-million total sales, or P5 million, will be donated to the PSC. A total of five million cards have already been printed with a price of P20 each. Tickets will be available at PCSO outlets nationwide.

“We are happy to work with the PSC in supporting the national athletes,” said Roger Go of Pacific Online, the exclusive distributor of Scratch and Win cards.

Angping said if the project takes off, the PSC plans to push through with more creative initiatives to subsidize the athletes’ needs.

“If marketed and promoted properly, we can start another P100 million worth of tickets,” he said. “Anyone can show support and do their share in helping our athletes.”