Palace folk may want to try: Grand lotto jackpot now P383M

Some Malacañang officials, including President Benigno Aquino III, may have admitted that they don't know or don't have time to play the lottery, but they can still catch up as the P383-million Grand Lotto jackpot remains up for grabs, with still no winner declared in its most recent draw Wednesday night. According to the website of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), which handles Philippine lotteries, the biggest prize ever in the game’s history, amounting to P383,405,234.40, remains elusive. That means Palace officials can still spare some time, at least until the weekend, to place bets or to learn how to place bets in the game, which has attracted patrons from even among the country’s lawmakers. Aquino, in an ambush interview in Cebu City before Wednesday’s draw, said he doesn’t even know how to play the lotto game. “No. no (I don’t bet). I don’t know how to play the system actually," he said. Presidential Communication Development and Strategic Planning Office secretary Ramon "Ricky" Carandang also said he has yet to try playing any of the lotto games because he does not know how. Meanwhile, Presidential Communication Operations Office secretary Herminio Coloma and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte both admitted they dream of winning the jackpot prize, but they have not found the time to place their bets. Senators Vicente Sotto III, Francis Escudero, Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ramon Revilla and Ralph Recto earlier admitted that they bought Lotto tickets for Wednesday's draw for a chance to bag the grand prize. (See: Senators catch lotto fever) The 6/55 Grand Lotto Draw has not had a winner for almost six months now since it was first drawn on May 15, 2010, when it started with a minimum jackpot prize of P30 million.
PCSO transfer Meanwhile, in the same interview, Aquino confirmed the transfer of the PCSO office from the Quezon Institute compound in Quezon City to the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City due to safety concerns. “The PCSO offices, I understand, had been condemned, the whole structure. That’s why they had to vacate the premises. Safety issue is paramount. We wouldn’t want patients being in a situation na hindi [that is not] tenable," he said. The President, however, admitted he received reports and calls asking that the transfer be postponed.—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV