PCSO continues aid provision to needy

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) donated medical equipment and provided aid to fire victims in separate initiatives on Monday.

PCSO director Janet de Leon Mercado led the turnover of medical supplies to Casimiro A. Ynares Sr. Memorial National High School in Rizal. The donation included four nebulizers, four blood pressure apparatuses and four oxygen tanks.

School principal Virgilio Ramos said the equipment would be a “great help in ensuring that the health needs of our students are properly addressed.”

After the turnover, Mercado visited a temporary shelter in Taytay, Rizal, for 15 families who lost their homes in a fire on 5 September.

She and Barangay Councilor Christian Carlos Cruz distributed 15 “ChariTimba” food packs to the affected residents. The initiative is part of the PCSO’s corporate social responsibility program aimed at providing assistance to communities in need.

Meantime, the PCSO also announced that two new multi-millionaires have won jackpot prizes in recent lottery draws.

A 78-year-old man from Gumaca, Quezon, won the P89.5-million SuperLotto 6/49 jackpot on 19 August. The winning ticket, with the numbers 17-27-21-30-15-12, was purchased in Gumaca. The winner, a father of six, said he had been playing the lottery since it began in the Philippines and consistently used a combination of his children’s birth dates as his numbers.

“This is a blessing, and I am wholeheartedly grateful to God and the PCSO for this opportunity. Our lives will change,” he said while claiming his prize. The winner, who relies on a P2,000 monthly pension from the Social Security System, plans to deposit the prize money in a bank to secure his children’s future.

In a separate draw, a Batangas employee became the newest multi-millionaire after winning the P386.1 million Ultra Lotto 6/58 jackpot on 22 August. The winning ticket, with the combination 01-34-44-27-57-16, was purchased in Batangas City. The bettor, who has been playing since 2008, used a “Lucky Pick” combination. He plans to use the winnings to start a small business, secure his children’s future, and support his siblings.

The PCSO reminds the public that prizes over P10,000 are subject to a 20 percent tax under the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion Law. Jackpot winners must claim their prizes at the PCSO main office and present the original winning ticket and two valid government-issued IDs. Tickets are valid for one year from the draw date. DT