Pinoy engineer in Dubai wins P4.54M in raffle draw, plans to open small business

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - A Filipino senior engineer who has been working in Dubai for the past 13 years won AED333,333 – the equivalent of P4.54 million – in the latest weekly live draw here.

“Victor,” not his real name, said he plans to open a small business to generate employment for those who have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He lives with his wife and 11-year-old son in the city, and was the 12th overseas Filipino worker (OFW) to have won big at the Mahzooz draw in just a span of four months since May this year.

Participants try their luck on a life-changing opportunity by simply buying bottled water for AED35 to join the Mahzooz raffle.

The OFW said he doesn’t have to worry anymore about his son’s education with the prize he got.

Victor said he asked for the winning six-number combination from his mother in the Philippines.

“Sa kanyang numero ito. Nag-ask kasi ako sa kanya ng number combination, then randomly 'yan 'yung binigay nya,” he told GMA News Online.

(This is her number [combination]. I asked her for a number combination, then randomly, she gave this.)

Like most winners, Victor, 42, was still in disbelief at the time of the interview.

“At first hindi ako makapaniwala, and it took me some time bago mag-sink in. I’m happy of course and very thankful. The first two words na nasabi ko was ‘thank God,’” he said.

(At first I could not believe it, and it took me some time before it sank in. I'm happy of course and very thankful. The first two words I said was 'thank God.')

“I couldn’t believe myself when I saw the winning numbers on the screen. It took me some time to come to my senses and my joy knew no bounds. My 11-year-old son started dancing after seeing me and my wife jumping in the air in happiness. I hugged my son and told him: your future has been secured and I have an unprecedented surprise for you,” Victor said.

No definite plans yet, but one thing’s for sure, said Victor. His son’s education has just been secured. “I was struggling to meet the educational expenses of my son with my current salary. However, he can have a brighter and better future with this prize money,” he said.

“I have no particular plans yet but this will be a big help for my family financial security, my son’s future and parent’s health and financial support,” Victor said.

What he has in mind so far, he said, is a “small business that will create job opportunity for those people who has been affected in our home place.”

Victor was among three persons who won in the AED1 million draw held last weekend; each got AED333,333. The two others were a Pakistani and British national.

Early this month, two OFWs – Jovan and Jeph –  each won AED142,857 which is the equivalent of P1.94 million. Jovan is a 32-year-old logistics coordinator at a medical supplies company, while Jeph is a maintenance technician.

Jovan said he will use the money to build their own house back in the Philippines and to send his mother, who has been in Dubai for 22 years, back home for good.

Four OFWs won in August. Three of them got AED250,000 each – the equivalent of P3.44 million – and one got AED333,333 or P4.54 million.

At least two OFWs have won AED1 million each in June: An Abu Dhabi bakeshop van delivery driver, and a 33-year-old gym sales associate who has been in Dubai for just three years.

Participants at the raffle draw need only to register via www.mahzooz.ae to be able to purchase a bottled water for AED35 to enter a number combination. The sale of the bottled water is donated to community outreach programs. —KG, GMA News