"We're Not Very Good at Editing Clothes": PCSO Admits to Manipulating Picture of Lotto Winner
They've actually been editing winners' photos for some time now.
(SPOT.ph) We’re sure you’ve seen it by now—the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office’s (PCSO) hand at (terrible) photo manipulation in full display in a Facebook post that basically went viral overnight. It has been shared at least 55,000 times as of this writing.
Some context: A bettor from San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan went to claim her P43 million Lotto 6/42 jackpot at the PCSO Main Office on December 28, 2023. We know this because PCSO posted a picture of her (or what was left of her) on Facebook. The PCSO said she was a 47-year-old housewife—but the figure in the photo only looked to us like a dressed-up doll wearing a face mask, a pair of shades, and a bowler hat with a fake top and skirt.
At the hearing of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Thursday, January 18, PCSO General Manager Mel Robles admitted to editing the picture for the protection of the winner's identity.
We get covering the face, but why alter the clothes? Robles said family members or neighbors might still be able to identify the bettor if they are wearing a favorite or familiar clothing.
"If there's something we apologize for, it’s the poor editing, but it has served its purpose of concealing the identity," Robles said. "We’re sorry we’re not very good at editing the clothes.”
Also read: What Happens After Someone Wins the Lotto Jackpot?
Why do lottery organizations like the PCSO cover winning bettor’s faces?
There are several reasons why lottery organizations might cover the faces of lottery winners. Primarily, this practice is in line with PCSO's policy to maintain the privacy and security of its winners, especially considering the very Filipino culture of seeking financial assistance from moneyed friends or relatives.
Also, making the identity of a person who has suddenly come into a large sum of money public can make them a target for crime, scams, or harassment. This is especially important in cases where the prize money is substantial like P43 million.
“Sa buong mundo, wala nagpapakita unless gusto niya. Kung natatawa sila na inedit ‘yung palda, sa ibang bansa nga mascot sinusuot eh,” Robles said in an interview with Unang Hirit. “Inedit talaga ‘yun for security. Ang objective is to keep the anonymity, pero ang problema namin we have to show the people na may totoong nanalo, at the same time not violating ‘yung privacy niya.”
Also read: 10 Ways You Can Win the Lotto
It's not the first time that the PCSO has manipulated a picture to protect a winner’s identity. Usually, they would only cover the bettor's face with a black box. See one of the pictures below from 2023.
As time went on, whoever is behind PCSO's photo manipulation efforts started to experiment. A face mask here, a three-color gradient shirt there.
The woman below seems to have spent a considerable time working on her triceps as the right one's gotten much bigger than her blazer's armhole.
Why not give this one a new set of hair altogether?
It's obvious that whoever is behind these photos is uh, trying, at least. You know, getting creative. To him we say, you do you. Just better.
Also read: Mind Blown? How 433 People Won Lotto Jackpot on October 1