Gov’t prepared for Omicron variant entry: DOH

MANILA

– A lone bettor from Laguna bagged the PHP83million jackpot of the Mega Lotto 6/ 45 draw on Friday night.

In an advisory on Saturday, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) said the bettor guessed the winning combination 33-2718-42-03-23 and will pocket PHP83,757,220.

The ticket was purchased in the City of Santa Rosa.

The bettor can claim the check at the PCSO main office in

Mandaluyong City with the winning ticket and two identification cards.

Meanwhile, 53 others won PHP32,000 each for correctly guessing five out of the six-digit winning combination; 2,982 bettors will get PHP1,000 each for four of six digits; and 35,812 bettors will settle for PHP30 each for three of six digits.

The Mega Lotto 6/ 45 is drawn on Monday, Wednesday, and Fr i day.

This is the third time this month where a lone bettor bagged the jackpot prize, the others winning PHP5.9 million in the 6/42 draw.

On December 4, a bettor from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan won while two days earlier, a bettor from Dasmariñas City, Cavite also hit the jackpot.

In November, eight bettors were sole winners of the lotto jackpot -- three from the National Capital Regi on .

As provided in the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, lotto winnings of more than PHP10,000 shall be subject to a 20-percent final tax.

PCSO General Manager Royina Garma repeatedly urges the public to keep on patronizing their games as a large chunk of the revenue goes to charity programs.

The PCSO serves as the principal government agency for raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities of national character.

– The government assured it is prepared for the entry of the more transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant, the Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday.

In a Laging Handa briefing, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire admitted the new variant has a high chance of entering the Philippines.

“From the start, hindi natin sasabihin definitely na hindi makakapasok. Ang pinag-uusapan natin diyan ay kung kailan (From the start, we said we cannot definitely say that it won't be able to enter. The question here is when it will enter)," she said.

"So the chances are there. Malakas po ang tiyansa na maaring makapasok dito sa atin at tayo naman po ay nagpre-prepare (there's a big chance it will get here and we are preparing)” she added.

Vergeire reminded the public to get vaccinated and continue observing health and safety protocols, regardless of the variant. As of this posting, no case of Omicron had been detected in the Philippines yet based on the result of the whole genome sequencing released December 9.

"[T]there was no sample positive for the Omicron variant. Na-isama po natin dito iyong isang arrival from South Africa kung saan lumabas po iyong sequencing result na ito po ay isang variant na B.1.1.203. Hindi po siya Omicron. Hindi rin po siya iyong mga variant na binabantayan natin dito sa ating bansa (We already included those who arrived from South Africa. The results included one variant the B.1.1.203. It’s not Omicron nor one of the variants that we are monitoring)," Vergeire said.

She also reported that the five returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) from South Africa who were earlier tagged as missing have been located.

They yielded negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test results but will undergo retests. Two unlocated ROFs from South Africa, meanwhile, were reportedly from Regions 4-B and 10 and had negative Covid-19 test results upon arrival. "[D]umating po sila pareho ng November 22. So hanggang sa ngayon, our local governments are still locating these two passengers (They both arrived on November 22. So until now our local governments are still locating these two passengers)," Vergeire said. Vergeire assured the government closely monitors the entry of all foreigners and Filipinos. (PNA)