Abu Dhabi accountant is latest OFW to win AED100,000 in UAE draw

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A 39-year-old accountant working at an Abu Dhabi construction firm was the latest overseas Filipino worker to win big in the Mahzooz weekly draw, taking home AED100,000 (P1.60 million).

The winner, Joana, said she plans to use her winnings to buy a farm lot back in her hometown in General Santos City.

“Super saya ko talaga,” Joana, told GMA News Online. “I still find it hard to believe. I am still trying to digest everything, letting it sink in,” said Joana, who arrived in the UAE 14 years ago in 2008.

“Balak kong bumili ng farm lot doon sa amin para sa future,” she added.

(I am super happy. I plan to buy a farm lot in our place for the future.)

Joana said an officemate sent her a message in the evening of the draw, informing her that she has won.

“Nasa labas kasi ako, papunta sa park kasama friend ko. Chineck ko 'yong ticket number. Ako nga!” she said. (I was outside heading to the park with a friend. I checked the ticket number. Indeed, I won!)

Joana said she keeps a number combination. “Just my favorite numbers that I maintain; no particular special dates,” she said.

She said she started joining the Mahzooz draw back in the pandemic days two years ago. “I have been doing it every week. Though sometimes, it slips my mind to do so,” Joana said.

Joana was the second OFW to have won AED100,000 in the Mahzooz weekly draw this month.

Mahzooz last week announced that a Filipina chef, Carrol, a single mom, won.

Carrol, 43, from Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu, said she would not have been able to save AED100,000 from her  AED 6,000 monthly salary. “Now, I have it in an instant,” she said.

“Nag-pledge ako na once na manalo ako, magdo-donate ako sa charity para sa mga PWD po sa Pilipinas,” Carrol added. (I have pledged to donate to a charity back home for persons with disabilities should I win.)

In August, a machine operator at a baby wipes company won AED 5 million – the equivalent of approximately P76 million – a few days ahead of his 45th birthday. Nelson told reporters his win was “a gift from God.”

According to Mahzooz, 20 participants matched four out of five numbers and shared the second prize of AED 1,000,000 securing AED 50,000 each in the latest draw last Saturday.

The weekly raffle draw saw three participants sharing AED 300,000 among them. The lucky winners who received AED 100,000 each were Taleen from Syria, Arun from India, and Joana. The winning raffle numbers were 21329539, 21452149 and 21751557 respectively

The top prize of AED 10,000,000 is still waiting to be won and will once again be up for grabs in the grand draw this coming Saturday, Oct. 22,  at 9 p.m., UAE time.

Participating in Mahzooz is easy as all the entrants must do is register via www.mahzooz.ae and purchase a bottle of water for AED 35, the sale of which is channelled to community services for a cause through partners.

Mahzooz has launched a limited time offer, where each bottle purchased qualifies participants for a two-line entry instead of one. This doubles their chances to win in the Mahzooz grand draw – the top prize of AED 10,000,000; the second prize of AED 1,000,000; or the third prize of AED 350.

They will also be automatically entered into the weekly raffle draw, where three lucky winners will be guaranteed to take home AED 100,000 each. All they have to do is purchase one bottle of water for AED 35 and pick two sets of five numbers. —KG, GMA News