Badjao Teen Wins Toyota Vios Grand Prize in Petron Raffle

01/12/2015 – Manila | A group of at least 50 Badjaos swarmed at Petron Gas Station in Batangas following the announcement on Channel 5 on Sunday evening, that the grand prize winner of the 2015 Petron Raffle Promo was an 19-year old Badjao from Tanauan City.

The mother of 2, identified as Hapiao Tapyasan from Zamboanga found a ticket near the gas station last November 2014. Tapyasan is one of only few Badjaos who knows how to read and write. She moved to Batangas 4 years ago when her native land in Mindanao was ravage by armed conflicts.

Report said Tapyasan found 3 tickets near the gas station last October 2014. She filled-up the tickets with her name and contact number of their group leader, leaving the address blank.

Alimudin, their group leader and elder received a call from the gas company looking for Hapiao, telling him that the woman won the grand prize of 100,000 pesos cash and a 2015 model Toyota Vios.

Dina Dale, the manager of the gas station where the winning ticket was dropped couldn’t believe when she heard the news. Because she find it difficult to communicate with Badjaos who are demanding the prize, he contacted the local DSWD office and reported the issue.

TPH contacted the gas company’s main office in Makati and the latter said they cannot release the prize if proper procedure is not followed.

“Badjao people are nomads and have no identification cards, no census, non-voters, and no permanent contact details. It will be very difficult to claim this huge prize if proper procedure is not followed”, Atty. Matias Masculado of DTI told TPH.

“We are keeping an eye on this issue because many smart people are interested to claim the prize. We are trying to reach the group but we are having difficulty communicating with them. We just need to make sure that the prize will not fall into wrong hands” Masculado added.

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/Fanny Jalacjac/ Assisted Press Manila

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