'Pera sa Kweba' text promo extended up to Dec. 30

MANILA, Philippines - Environment Secretary Ramon Paje yesterday announced that the “Pera sa Kweba” text promo for the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) has been extended up to Dec. 30.

He said that a P25-million top prize awaits a lucky winner in the grand draw.

Paje, also the national campaign manager for the PPUR in the search for the New7Wonders of Nature, urged the public to keep on texting and vote for PPUR.

A housewife from Malolos City became an instant millionaire after winning in the text promo.

“Who knows, you might be the next lucky winner like Marites Balagtas, our first millionaire in this campaign,” Paje said.

The 38-year-old lucky texter narrated that when she received a text message saying that she had won, she initially thought that the message was part of a scam. 

She then watched her favorite television show “Will Time, Big Time” and confirmed that the text promo was real.

Balagtas said that she joined the contest to try her luck. She sent eight text messages on different dates costing her P20 for a total of 16 entries. Each SMS sent for the promo before Nov. 10 was worth two raffle entries.

She said that she would use the money for her children’s education.

Balagtas was accompanied by two of her children when she met with members of Task Force Puerto Princesa Underground River at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center in Quezon City, where she received a facsimile of her winning check from Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn and Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Austere Panadero.

As of Nov. 17, the Pera sa Kweba text raffle promo has given away P10,000 each to 45 daily winners; P100,000 to each of three bi-weekly winners; P250,000 each to two monthly winners; and one P1-million prize.

Twenty more texters have each won P50,000 as drawn on the show “Will Time, Big Time.”

The contest was initiated by the private sector to promote the PPUR as an eco-tourism site and to educate the public on why it deserved to be a finalist in the search for New7Wonders of Nature.

Paje also extended his gratitude to all who voted for the PPUR, either through text or the Internet, putting the Underground River in the provisional list of New7Wonders of Nature as announced recently by the organizers of the competition.

The DENR chief expressed confidence that the PPUR will not be taken off the final list to be announced early next year.

Mayor Hagedorn reportedly secured a copy of the result of the voting that showed the PPUR garnered at least 24 million votes.

To join the promo, just type “PPUR” and send to 2861 for all local networks. Each SMS costs P2.50, and entitles the texter to one raffle entry. Winning mobile numbers are electronically drawn under the supervision of the Department of Trade and Industry.

The Pera sa Kweba text promo will give 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. Lucky texters can win cash prizes from P10,000 to as much as P1 million.