(Photo courtesy of PCSO)
MANILA – A 63-year-old woman from Davao del Sur province literally got more than a pension fund and retirement plan after winning the Lotto 6/42 jackpot draw last Jan. 17.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said the woman claimed the Lotto 6/42 grand prize - a whopping lottery jackpot prize of PHP35.3 million at its main office in Mandaluyong City.
The winner guessed the draw's winning combination of 34-24-02-06-33- 07.
The senior citizen said she has never worked in her life as she needed to care for her family, including her grandchildren.
Her only source of income is his late husband's Social Security System (SSS) pension and every Sunday, she serves as a lector commentator at church.
During the interview, she stated that the only numbers she has been paying attention to are 07 and 02 because her birthday is on July 2, while the other four numbers, 34-24- 06, and 33, just came to mind and she began to shade them.
“Ngayon ko lamang tinaayan ang kumbinasyong ng mga numero na ito. Ako po ay nagpapasalamat una sa Panginoon sa biyayang ipinagkaloob sa akin at sa aking buong pamilya. Sa PCSO, maraming salamat at sana po ay marami pa kayong matulungang mga tao na umaasa sa inyo, maraming salamat (I just bet on this combination of numbers. First of all, I am grateful to the Lord for the grace given to me and my entire family. To PCSO, thank you very much and I hope you will help many more people who depend on you, thank you),” she said.
PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles encouraged the public to continue their support and patronage of all the gaming products of PCSO, including Lotto and Small Town Lottery (STL), to generate funds for the agency’s charity programs.
“Tuloy-tuloy lang po sa pagtangkilik sa ating Lotto at STL games dahil ang kinikita po dito ay siya nating ginagamit na pantulong sa ating mga kababayan through PCSO Charity Programs (Please continue to patronize our games like Lotto and STL games because the earnings here are used to help our fellow citizens through PCSO Charity Programs),” said Robles.
Lotto results and other details of the PCSO games, products and services can be viewed on the PCSO Official Website, PCSO FB Page and PCSO GOV Channel in YouTube.
To avoid forfeiture of winnings, winners have one year from the date of the draw to claim the prize, as specified in Republic Act 1169.
All lotto jackpot prizes must be claimed at the PCSO main office along Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City.
To claim prizes, winners must write their names and sign at the back of the winning ticket, and present two government-issued IDs.
The public is also reminded that prizes over PHP10,000 are subject to a 20 percent tax as provided in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.
The PCSO is urging the public to patronize its games to generate more funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities.
Medical aid
Meanwhile, the PCSO on Wednesday reported that it has released PHP34.8 million in medical assistance to a total of 5,512 eligible beneficiaries nationwide from Feb. 6 to 10.
Citing its latest data, the state lottery agency said the funds were released to beneficiaries through its Medical Access Program (MAP).
The beneficiaries include 514 indigents from the National Capital Region who received PHP6.7 million worth of assistance; 1,215 from Northern and Central Luzon who were given PHP8.1 million; and 1,369 from the Southern Tagalog and Bicol Region who received PHP6.7 million.
In the Visayas, 1,169 individuals were provided with PHP6.5 million in medical aid while 1,218 individuals received PHP6.7 million in Mindanao.
The MAP, formerly known as the Individual Medical Assistance Program, is designed to augment medical assistance for indigent Filipinos, particularly for hospital confinement, chemotherapy, dialysis and post-transplant medicines.
Through its mandatory contributions, the PCSO not only helps individuals in need of medical assistance but also provides funds to government institutions. (PNA)
