Filipino expat wins Dh100,000 UAE Lottery raffle, calls it ‘answered prayer’

Dubai: Long-time UAE resident Gemma Figueroa Paquigbao never imagined a lottery ticket would change her life so suddenly. The 15-year UAE resident and Filipino national recently won Dh100,000 in the latest UAE Lottery raffle — a win she describes not as luck, but as an answered prayer.

Paquigbao, who has lived and worked in the country for over a decade, says the UAE has given her stability, safety and opportunity. “I genuinely want to stay here,” she said. “If I were back home, I can’t imagine how we would survive.”

How she started playing

Paquigbao first heard about the UAE Lottery through her partner, who assured her it was legitimate. Curious but cautious, she asked for help setting up an account. Once she started, she played regularly.

“I usually buy one ticket for Dh50,” she said. “Sometimes I buy more, up to Dh150.” Any small wins, such as Dh100, went straight back into buying another ticket.

Her friends, however, were hesitant. “I asked some of them to share tickets with me, but they didn’t want to,” she said. “That was fine. I just kept going on my own.”

A win tied to faith and family

For Paquigbao, the Dh100,000 win was never about luxury. It was about her sister.

For nearly two months, she had been playing the same set of numbers. “In my heart, I kept thinking, ‘This is for my sister,’” she said. Then came a phone call from her father in the Philippines. Her sister urgently needed medical treatment, and the family was struggling to raise the money.

“I told him honestly I only had around Dh1,200,” she said. “I sent everything I had.”

That Friday, she asked her father to pray. She had bought another lottery ticket and hoped for a miracle.

‘I didn’t believe it at first’

Paquigbao missed the live draw on Saturday evening. About half an hour later, she checked her account.

“I saw a gold colour and Dh100,000,” she said. “I couldn’t understand it. I didn’t believe it at first.”

Only after checking the ticket details did it sink in. She immediately called her father, who told her they were already at the hospital and preparing for the operation.

“For me, it felt like an answered prayer,” she said.

The surgery was successful, and her sister recovered quickly. “She was going to be discharged the next day,” Paquigbao said. “I still can’t believe how fast everything changed.”

Money with a purpose

The prize money, she said, is entirely for her sister’s medical expenses. “That comes first,” she said. “If there is anything left, I may add it to my business.”

Despite the win, Paquigbao remains grounded. When her daughter asked what she would buy for herself, she laughed. “I told her I already bought four blouses. That’s enough for me.”

She may buy a television for the family, and her daughter has asked for a sofa bed. “That’s it,” she said.

Responsible play and future hopes

Paquigbao says she believes strongly in responsible gaming. “I don’t earn a lot,” she said. “So I budget for my ticket every week. It’s within my limits.”

She plans to keep playing and dreams of winning the Dh5 million top prize one day. “Even imagining it feels overwhelming,” she said. “But my first thought will always be my family.”

If that day comes, she hopes to start a business in the UAE.

‘I felt like my sister was saved’

Paquigbao ended with a heartfelt message of thanks. “When I realised I won, I was crying alone in the bathroom,” she said. “I kept saying, ‘God gave this to me for my sister.’”

When she later video-called her sister and saw her laughing, pain-free, and ready to go home, the moment felt bigger than money.

“I felt like I didn’t just receive money,” she said. “I felt like my sister was saved.”