source: mb.com.ph
MANILA, Philippines — The long and arduous journey of a 60-year-old village carpenter in conquering the challenges of everyday life suddenly encountered an unexpected relief after his lone bet won Wednesday’s 172nd draw of the Grand Lotto 6/55 conducted by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
This lucky carpenter, who moonlights as a barangay tanod (village watchman) in Las Piñas, Metro Manila immediately claimed the next day his winnings of P356,552,917.20 at the PCSO central office.
The bettor hit the winning combination of 09-05-26-30-19-45 – consisting of their wedding anniversary and birth dates, which he has been betting on for three years.
He came to the PCSO pretty nervous – his hands were cold as ice.
From the looks of his face – solemn and almost expression-less – one will glean this man’s hard struggle of 60 long years in this world.
This man, who lives with his family in an informal settlers colony, is one of the estimated three to five million punters who placed their bets for the 6/55’s Wednesday draw.
When asked, the winner told PCSO officials that he intends to buy a house and lot, try some business ventures, and place the rest of his winnings in the bank while thinking of what to do with it.
He and his wife, who is a street sweeper, have six children, and only the youngest made it to school and only up to secondary level.
Due to the poverty they were in from the start in Albay, Bicol, the couple and their children were not able to go to school.
The winner came with his son and another relative to claim the coveted jackpot.
It was learned that some two months ago, the winner came to the PCSO to seek assistance for his son’s P86,000 hospital bills, where the PCSO helped him with P30,000.
As this developed, PCSO Chairman Margarita P. Juico said the 6/55 winner got his prize in full, and assuredly tax-free.
“We do not intend nor plan to impose any tax on the lotto prize money,” she stressed.
Juico said she hopes the jackpot money stays in the Philippines and not be brought abroad where it will be taxed, apparently referring to the Filipino-American winner of 6/55’s P741 million pot on November 29 last year who paid some P223 million in tax to the United States government.
Meanwhile, PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II said the latest winner came to the PCSO in Pasay City at about 10 a.m. and was directed to the Internal Audit Department (PCSO-IAD) where winning tickets are validated.
Upon validation of his winning ticket, the winner was led to PCSO-IAD Manager Lauro A. Patiag to get his profile.
However, names, addresses, and photographs of winners are not divulged for their security.
Patiag said the winner had been placing bets for three years, and once a week, and only and when he had money left for a lotto ticket.
Luckily on Wednesday, the PCSO-IAD official said, the carpenter had P20 left with him and proceeded to place a bet at a lotto outlet in T.S. Cruz Subdivision in Almanza Dos.
The lotto outlet that sold the Grand Lotto winning ticket will get a commission of P500,000.
source: mb.com.ph
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