She owns barely a hectare of land and produces just 55 tons of sugarcane but this was enough for her to qualify and win one million pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) in the first grand raffle draw of Central Azucarera De La Carlota, Inc. (CACI) under its “Milyonaryo Ka sa Central La Carlota” promo.

 

Ruby Gimay Alfonso, 51 years old and a small planter from Hacienda Pacita, La Castellana, Negros Occidental, became the first instant millionaire during the raffle draw last March 23, 2018 at the compound of the Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra, Inc. (AALCPI) in La Carlota City.

 

More than two million worth of prizes were drawn in what shall be a series of succeeding draws each time a total of 60 tons of cane is milled with CACI.

 

Together with her husband Herminigildo who sometimes drives the delivery truck to transport their canes to CACI, the family has been into sugar farming since 1985 and has milled their canes in CACI since then.

 

“It was both unexpected and huge blessing because we were already delivering our last remaining canes when the promo started.  We actually only had two tickets for the last remaining 9.7 tons that we milled,” Ruby recalled.

 

“When word spread last Friday that I won one million, I just laughed and thought of it as a joke.  But when a representative from CACI sought me out and officially told us about the news, my family and I were beyond belief!  Truly, God has been good to us and we are grateful to the management of CACI for this blessing.  We can finally have our old house repaired while the rest will be used to put up a small grocery to help augment our daily needs,” Ruby added.

 

The “Milyonaryo Ka sa Central La Carlota” promo is a project of CACI as a way of giving back to its partner-planters who have been supportive of the sugar central over the years.

 

“It is our expression of appreciation and gratitude to our partners, including the farm managers and drivers, who also have corresponding incentives everytime a major prize is drawn.  CACI and our mother company, Roxas Holdings, Inc. (RHI), value the long years of partnership of our stakeholders in the industry and we nurture this relationship as we look forward to more productive partnerships ahead,” RHI Vice-President and CACI General Manager Esteban “Sonny” Coscolluela said.

 

Meanwhile, five (5) ticket holders also won one hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) each.  They are JP Bang of Hda. Parnaso, Brgy. Cubay, La Carlota City, Jemelito Mission of Brgy. Montilla, Moises Padilla, Thelma Paterno of Casal-agan Viejo, Pontevedra, Raul Angeles of Kasilingan Village, La Castellana, and Amado Guanzon of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental.

 

Another 10 consolation prizes of fifty thousand pesos (Php 50,000.00) each were also drawn and listed as follows: Fernando Gonzales of Hda. Mabini, Pontevedra, Dominador Gonzales of La Castellana, Romeo Belmonte of Valladolid, Ismael Roa of La Castellana, Susana Postrado of Mansalanao, La Castellana, Armida Garfil of La Carlota City, Randy Egonia of Sitio Camingawan, Brgy. Antipolo, Pontevedra, Rene Rodriguez of Hda. Milagrosa, Hinigaran, Jesito Gruy of Bago City, and Merlita Amable of Brgy. San Jose, Bayawan , Negros Occidental.

 

Rox Cuadra, CACI Field Operations Department (FOD) head and raffle project coordinator, explains that all winning tickets shall undergo validation and verification prior to the actual granting of prizes.  She added that the organizers reserve the right to decide on all matters related to the project and all decisions of the management shall be final.

 

The “Milyonaryo Ka sa Central La Carlota” promo is open to all CACI planter-members who are duly registered under AALCPI or the La Carlota Planters Association, Inc. (LCPAI).  All single cane deliveries of eight to 10 tons are entitled to two (2) tickets and any incremental increase of every five (5) tons more shall qualify for another ticket each time.

 

“We invite and encourage our planter-members and all those who want to mill with us to deliver and mill your canes with CACI and get the chance to be the next instant millionaire,” Coscolluela said.

 

The draw was witnessed by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) official Jonathan Tejida, Rolando Tamon of AALCPI, and Ching Labtic of LCPAI.  Also present were VP GM Esteban Coscolluela, FOD Head Rox Cuadra, CACI Comptroller Jovy de la Cruz, and Debbie Ann Vallar of CACI’s Internal Audit Group.  The next draw is scheduled April 6, 2018.