Two bettors from Taguig City and Pampanga who bagged the jackpots of two separate Lotto draws in June have claimed their prizes at the main office of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in Mandaluyong City. In a statement on Tuesday, PCSO said the winner from Taguig claimed on June 9 the PHP29 million prize from the June 5 Grand Lotto 6/55 draw. The winner expressed disbelief as he hit the six-winning number combination. He repeatedly checked the winning numbers, thinking he only got five correct numbers, but was amazed to discover that he won the grand prize. The winner had been playing PCSO's lottery games since 1997 and trusted his luck and the agency's charitable programs. He mentioned that one of his relatives benefited from the Medical Access Program (MAP) "Alam ko na ang PCSO ay lumilikom ng pondo para ipangtulong sa mga nangangailangan ng medikal. Tanda ko pa ito noong natulungan kami ng PCSO noong andoon pa sila sa Quezon Institute nag-oopisina (I know that the PCSO is raising funds to help those in need of medical assistance. I still remember this when the PCSO helped us when their office was still at the Quezon Institute)," he said Meanwhile, the lucky first-time bettor from Pampanga won the Megalotto 6/45 jackpot of PHP41.2 million on June 2. She said she had never played any lotto games before and just gave it a shot on a whim. She firmly believes that if one's luck is destined, God will make it happen. The Pampangueña bettor who claimed her prize on June 8 said she can now improve her family's living conditions and start a business that will serve as a stable source of income. It took her four times to confirm that she had the winning combination, and when it finally sank in, it made her emotional. PCSO guarantees the safety and security of all winners by keeping all their personal information confidential. 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.
Source: Philippines News agency