Jobless Filipino wins car, cash in DSF raffle
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Filipino expatriate Joel Gutierrez receives his prize during the awarding ceremony hosted by Dubai Shopping Festival.
But even with the prospect of being jobless after 16 years of working in UAE and having no money coming in, Joel didn’t lose hope that everything will turn for the better. “Although my budget is really tight, I still bought a ticket for the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) raffle. In fact, I bought four this month,” he recalled. It seemed like it was the only hope for Joel to get out of his “painful” situation. And he was right.
Joel, 43, has just been informed that he won a luxury Infiniti car on the first day of DSF, plus a Dh150,000 cash. “I had prayed so hard for this. Actually, I prayed for it every day, when I was out walking on the street, taking the Metro, or anywhere,” Gutierrez said.
The Filipino expatriate, who works as a salesman at a clothing shop in Dubai, opted to get the cash equivalent of the luxury car, so he is expecting to bring home a total of Dh300,000 cash, or nearly 4 million pesos. For him, the money would be enough to start a new life in the Philippines and pay off his personal loan in Dubai.
“I would buy ten tickets in a year and it’s the first time I’ve won,”
“This will now help me build a new and happy life for me and my family. I will use the money to invest in a grocery store back home.”
Joel credited his strong belief for the great fortune. He has been buying DSF raffle tickets for years now and it’s only when he was told he would be terminated from his job when luck came his way. “I would buy ten tickets in a year and it’s the first time I’ve won,” he said.
“When they told me I would be laid off, it was really painful. But that didn’t make me lose hope. I wish to thank Dubai and DSF for this unexpected fortune,” he added
Since its inception in 1996, DSF has been offering life-changing prizes, and the festival’s 22nd edition, which started on 26 December, is no different with daily raffle draws offering shoppers the opportunity to win incredible prizes.
The Infiniti Mega Raffle offers one lucky shopper the opportunity to drive home an Infiniti QX70 plus Dh150,000 in cash daily upon purchase of a raffle ticket for Dh200. In the daily Nissan Grand Raffle, customers have the chance to win one of eight Nissan models – Micra, Sunny, Sentra, Tiida Hatchback, X-Trail, Juke, Pathfinder and Patrol. Customers will receive a raffle coupon upon purchase of non-fuel products worth Dh20 at any EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations, as well as Zoom shops in Dubai.
Questions & Answers
Q.How much did Joel Gutierrez win in total from the DSF raffle, including the car's cash equivalent?
How much did Joel Gutierrez win in total from the DSF raffle, including the car's cash equivalent?
Joel Gutierrez chose the cash equivalent for the luxury car. He expects to receive a total of Dh300,000 in cash, which he intends to use for his future plans.
Q.What is Joel Gutierrez's profession and where does he currently work?
What is Joel Gutierrez's profession and where does he currently work?
Joel Gutierrez works as a salesman. He is employed at a clothing shop located in Dubai, but his services are due to be terminated in February.
Q.What are Joel Gutierrez's plans for the money he won in the raffle?
What are Joel Gutierrez's plans for the money he won in the raffle?
He plans to use the money to pay off his Dh80,000 personal loan in Dubai. He also intends to invest the remaining funds in starting a grocery store back home in the Philippines.
Q.How much does a raffle ticket for the Infiniti Mega Raffle cost at DSF?
How much does a raffle ticket for the Infiniti Mega Raffle cost at DSF?
A raffle ticket for the Infiniti Mega Raffle costs Dh200. This purchase gives shoppers the opportunity to win an Infiniti QX70 and Dh150,000 in cash.
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