From being a wonder of nature, the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) has become a miracle giver to the poor.
This, after a housewife from Bulacan became the first millionaire of the “Pera sa Kweba” text raffle promo contest for the PPUR, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Wednesday.
The P1 million cash prize would be a huge help for Marites Balagtas whose family had been one of the victims of typhoon Pedring.
Asked how she would spend the money, Balagtas said she will use it to get a better, though small and simple, house for her family.
Her husband, a pedicab driver, has been sick for several days while her eldest son has just been out of the hospital over dengue fever.
Aside from seeking medical treatment for her family, the 38-year-old mother of three said she would also use the money for her children’s education.
She might also give her siblings a little “balato” to help with their livelihood.
Balagtas said she joined the contest to try her luck. She had sent eight text messages over different dates, which cost her P20.
When she received a text message informing her that she won, she initially thought the text message was a scam until she received a televised call from Wil Time Big Time, the official TV partner of the contest.
The “Pera sa Kweba” promo, initiated by a private sector to promote the PPUR as an ecotourism site, also sought to educate the public on why PPUR deserves to be part of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
Although the majestic underground river has already landed in the seven wonders list, the DENR announced that they are extending the contest up to December 30 to give people more chances of winning.
The ongoing promo is giving away more than P30-million worth of cash prizes, with the grand prize of P25 million to be given away to one lucky winner on the final draw on December 30. To join, send the word “PPUR” to 2861 for all local networks. Each SMS costs P2.50 and entitles the texter one raffle entry.
DENR Secretary Ramon Paje, who also served as the national campaign manager for the PPUR, extended his gratitude to everyone who voted either through text or online.
“The collective effort would go a long way not only in promoting the PPUR as an ecotourism destination for both the domestic and foreign tourists, but also in encouraging the public to go into environmental protection,” Paje said.
