Hardware store worker claims close to P60M lotto jackpot

MANILA — A man from Batangas province is now ready to compete in the hardware business of his former employer, as he claimed on Friday, close to P60 million in jackpot prize from the March 14 draw of the Grand Lotto 6/55.

The 43-year-old father of three was the sole player to correctly pick the game’s winning number combination 14-10-09-12-28-23. He took home exactly P59,736,300.

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) Vice Chair and General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II said that the winner expressed plans to use a portion of his prize to start up a hardware business, rivaling that of his employer’s. He added that the winner and his wife decided to open up their own hardware store after having gained knowledge on how to run the business over the last 15 years he has been working as a warehouseman.

When he claimed his prize at the PCSO’s head office in Mandaluyong City on Friday, the winner said that he would also use his winnings to buy his family a house and lot, a car and motorcycle. He added that he would save the rest of his prize for his and his children’s future needs.

Rojas said that the winner got his lucky number combination from the birthdates of his family and only paid for three tickets. He added that it took the winner 21 years of playing the lottery before finally winning the jackpot prize.  SFM