[PHOTO AT LEFT - A PSCO official secures a briefcase that will be used for the 6/55 Grand Lotto. JONJON VICENCIO]
MANILA, DECEMBER 1, 2010 (STAR) By Aurea Calica -The 6/55 Grand Lotto may be slowly easing out jueteng as the most popular numbers game, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said yesterday.
"We have only anecdotal statements. We don't have figures but it seems like jueteng was affected. Because the prize is really big, many are encouraged to bet in a legal way," he said.
Lacierda added that if the story is true, then it would be a strike against jueteng.
"But again it depends, how often does a pot reach this high? It's something that is very, very subject to fortune," he said, emphasizing that there were no changes in the regulations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) as regards the jackpot prize.
"Right now the rule is that part of the total bets will be given to the winner. There is a social contract between the bettor and the government as to the bets so right now that does not change so if ever we win, we are lucky. At the same time, it will also help our national government and charity work a lot," Lacierda said.
He said the cap on the prize would be a decision of the PCSO board and not by the Office of the President. "So it will be up to the PCSO board to determine whether to change the rules on the pot ceiling."
Lacierda also said that President Aquino is not stopping Cabinet officials from betting on lotto along with other Filipinos who are taking their chances to win the biggest jackpot ever.
"He's not saying anything because I placed my bet, too. I'm sure all of us, at least to us who are bettors, are dreaming to win. This is also part of our charity work because the funds of the PCSO are getting bigger," he said.
Lacierda said the issue had been discussed with the President and that they were happy to be getting feedback that the big prize was also seen as proof that PCSO was being run cleanly now.
"This is the first time for us to have this big prize and this is a reflection, according to a taxi driver, of the honesty and integrity of the Aquino administration," he said.
Lacierda said they were hoping that such big jackpot prize could entice people to just bet on something legal like the lotto instead of jueteng.
PCSO: No shortage of betting slips
But while the frenzy continues, the PCSO denied the reported shortage of bet slips and thermal tickers in lotto outlets across the country.
"There is no shortage no bet slips, lotto outlets are given adequate supply," PCSO spokesman Manny Garcia said, adding that the agency has already anticipated heavy turnout of players as the jackpot breached the P700-million mark.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday heavy sales were reported in Luzon outlets with a total sale of P90,892,100. The Visayas and Mindanao outlets reported ticket sales of P22,041,800 for the 6/55 Grand Lotto or a total of P112,933,900.
The jackpot prize of P713.5 million is expected to rise depending on the sale before the 9 p.m. draw.
The jackpot prize for the 6/49 Super Lotto, which is drawn alongside the Grand Lotto, has also risen to P19 million.
Garcia said lotto outlets have stock up supply of ticket bets and thermal tickets according to the average daily sales in their respective areas.
Proportionate winnings pushed
Meanwhile, Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo called yesterday for a "liberal democratization of minor winnings" of the lotto.
Under his proposal, all those that hit three numbers, four numbers, and five numbers will receive proportionate winnings pretty much higher than what the PCSO is giving now.
"For instance, if one gets three numbers correctly, he gets 10 times what he currently gets as minor winning. Instead of getting the consolation price of only P150, he now gets P1,500. This goes true if he gets four numbers. Instead of just P2,000 for four numbers, he gets 10 times more, which is then equal to P20,000. Hence, if one gets five numbers from the winning prize, again, this is multiplied 10-fold. Instead of mere P150,000, he now brings home a minor consolation winning equivalent to P1,500,000," Castelo said.
"This simple proposal to democratize minor winnings or consolation prizes sits well with the very rationale of giving P150, P2,000, and P150,000 to ticket holders who got three, four, and five numbers, respectively. There should not be any problem with this proposal given that the lotto outlet gets 20 percent if any of its bettors bags the six-number combinations," he said.
Castelo said the PCSO should award a "patronage refund" for the many bettors who are largely from the lower crust of society.
"Besides, if the true goal of PCSO is a minimum degree of philanthropy, then, this is the best suitable scheme of things," he said.
He said the PCSO should look into the daily gross earnings from lotto when there are no winners and base the awarding of minor winnings for three, four, five winning number-combinations on the maximum allowable cash prizes.
"Filipinos should not be made as 'pecking pigeons.' This time, let government demonstrates its deep humanitarian objective to alleviate poverty and help the poor rise above their miserable lives," he said. – Perseus Echeminada, Paolo Romero
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