For Gemma Figueroa Paquigbao, the UAE has long represented security rather than surprise. A Filipino national who has spent 15 years living and working in the country, she describes her daily life as steady and modest — until a single lottery draw abruptly altered her family’s circumstances.
According to a report by Gulf News, Paquigbao was among the recent winners of the UAE Lottery, securing a prize worth AED 100,000. She said the outcome felt less like chance and more like a response to a personal crisis unfolding thousands of kilometres away.
Paquigbao began buying lottery tickets only after reassurance from her partner that the scheme was legitimate. Unsure at first, she asked for assistance creating an account, then settled into a routine of purchasing tickets within a set budget. Most weeks, she bought one AED 50 entry, occasionally spending up to AED 150. Small winnings were reinvested, while friends she invited to share tickets chose not to participate.
For nearly two months, she consistently selected the same numbers. She said those choices were tied to a specific intention: helping her sister in the Philippines. That focus intensified when her father called to say her sister required urgent medical care and the family lacked sufficient funds. Paquigbao sent what little savings she had left — about AED 1,200 — and asked her father to pray as she entered another draw.
She did not watch the live results. When she later opened her account, she noticed a gold-coloured indicator and the AED 100,000 figure. “I couldn’t understand it. I didn’t believe it at first,” she told Gulf News. Verification came only after reviewing the ticket details, at which point she immediately contacted her family, who were already at the hospital preparing for surgery.
The operation proceeded successfully, and her sister’s recovery was swift, with doctors planning discharge the following day. Paquigbao said the entire prize would be used to cover medical costs, with any remaining amount possibly directed toward her small business. Personal spending, she added, remained minimal.
She continues to buy lottery tickets but stresses financial restraint, saying she allocates only what she can afford each week. The UAE Lottery requires verified accounts and capped spending limits, measures intended to promote responsible participation among players.
