Despite P10-M prize, lotto winner says he’ll keep job

AN ACCOUNTANT from Manila may soon have to hire one of his colleagues to keep his finances in order after he won the P10-million jackpot in the 6/42 Lotto draw on March 12.

The 38-year-old father of two bagged the P10,017,740 prize after he guessed the correct number combination of 20-06-27-38-22-04.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Vice Chair and General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said the lucky bettor told him that he intended to keep on working although he could now afford to live off his winnings.

Rojas added that the man plans to set aside part of the jackpot prize for his children’s education and future needs, and put up a business with the rest.

As for the type of business, the winner said he and his wife have yet to make a decision.

When he claimed the jackpot prize at the PCSO head office in Mandaluyong City on Friday, the man said he based the winning number combination on his age, his and his wife’s birth dates, and their wedding anniversary.

He also availed himself of the PCSO’s System 7 feature which electronically picks seven combinations from the seven numbers selected by the player. For this, he paid P280.

Meanwhile, in observance of Holy Week, Rojas said that the PCSO would suspend its lotto operations from March 24 (Maundy Thursday) to March 27 (Easter Sunday).

On these days, there will be no selling of lotto tickets and holding of lotto draws. Operations will resume on Monday, March 28.

“The suspension of our gaming activities is meant to provide the respect proper to the solemnity of the occasion and to give lotto agents and PCSO employees the time off to conduct their own Holy Week observances,” Rojas said in a statement.