2 TYPHOON HAIYAN VICTIMS IN PHILIPPINE WIN 74 MILLION PECOS IN LOTTO DRAW

MANILA. Philippine -  Two victims of Typhoon Haiyan, the powerful storm that hit the central Philippines in 2013, won a total of 74 million pesos in a government-run lottery draw in late February, a senior official has said.
The two won the jackpot draws of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on February 21 and 22, but they claimed their cheques a week after their victories for security reasons, PCSO head Ferdinand Roxas told Gulf News.
One of the winners, a 59-year old, took home P50 million  after paying P80 to bet on PCSO’s first time six numbers game, Roxas said.
The P50 million winner vowed that he and his wife would not leave their home in the central Philippines region, which is still reeling from Typhoon Haiyan’s devastation. 

• “He is also not retiring from his work in a government office in the central Philippines,” Roxas said, adding the winner was lucky that Typhoon Haiyan did not damage his home.
• The other winner was a 56-year old Typhoon Haiyan victim who took home P23.68 million from PCSO’s February 21 lottery draw, Roxas said.
• “He requested that his town and province in central Philippines should not be identified,” Rojas said.
• The winner said he wanted to buy a house for himself and his wife. Along with their children, they had been residing in Cebu, central Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan hit Tacloban and Samar provinces, Roxas said.

The winner wanted to invest in a business but did not divulge details, Roxas said, adding the typhoon had wrecked the winner’s house and livestock project in 2013. 

Both winners separately claimed their checks at PCSO’s office in early March, said Roxas.

PCSO’s lotto winners are not publicly identified because they are exempted from paying taxes.

As of 2011, there were 1,600 winners, according to sources. PCSO launched its lotto in 1995.

Source: Gulf News