The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Thursday, Jan. 18, addressed the reason behind the "edited photo" of the Lotto 6/42 winner last Dec. 28.
"In-edit po talaga yun, for security (It was really edited for security)," PCSO General Manager Melquiades Robles pointed out in a televised interview.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/1/17/housewife-claims-p43-8-m-lotto-6-42-jackpot-prize
Robles explained that "the objective is really to keep the anonymity."
"But here is our problem: we have to show the people that there is a genuine winner, and at the same time, without violating their privacy (winners)," Robles said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Moreover, he compared the said picture to the winner announcing process in other countries, saying, "If they (the public) laughed at the edited skirt, well, in other countries, some even wear mascot costumes" to hide the identity of the winners.
The said photo went viral after various netizens noticed the edited images on the PCSO official Facebook page.
The post has now garnered 62,000 reactions, 11,000 comments, and 54,000 shares.
Furthermore, Robles emphasized the total breakdown of the PCSO's daily sales: 55 percent on the prize fund, 30 percent on charity, and 15 percent on operating expenses.
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E-lotto
In part of the interview, Robles emphasized that electronic lotto (e-lotto) is an option, and the traditional over-the-counter betting system still exists.
He pointed out that in e-lotto, users will not be worried about a destroyed ticket.
"The good thing about e-lotto is that it is registered, so even if you (user) lose your phone, others cannot claim it (grand prize)," Robles said.
"Because there are people who really don't bet traditionally, no parking, long queues, rainy weather, and being elderly, so there are also advantages," he added.
The PCSO started its test run for the e-lotto initiative in December 2023, with Pacific Online Systems Corporation (POSC) as the exclusive system and technology provider for the one-year trial run.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/29/pacific-online-achieves-ph-lottery-milestones