MANILA— A Filipino who has been living in Guam for around 11 years on Wednesday won one of two major prizes being raffled off in the U.S. territory for those already vaccinated against COVID-19.

Petronilo Rodrin, 71, who is originally from Quezon City, was picked in an electronic draw as the winner of a $10,000 cash prize— or over P480,000— in the second installment of a 6-week raffle that began June 16.

“He is very happy. Maybe, he will put (the prize) in his savings,” Aaron Rodrin, Petronilo's son who is also in Guam, told ABS-CBN News in an online exchange.

The Rodrins were present at the complex of the Office of the Guam Governor during the announcement and ceremonial turnover of the prize, as livestreamed on the Facebook account of Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero.

Aaron said his father used to work at the Hotel Nikko in Guam but has since retired.

According to local media, the older Rodrin received his first shot of the Moderna vaccine last Jan. 12, and his second dose on Feb. 10.

Guam, home to thousands of Filipinos, launched its Vax N’ Win incentive program early this month as it aims to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 by having 80 percent of its adult population, or around 96,000 people, vaccinated by July 21 when it marks its 76th Liberation Day.

The other major prize that the program is awarding, along with several other rewards, every Wednesday for six weeks until July 21 is a brand new car. These prizes are allotted for those aged 18 and above who are already vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Another set of prizes, including $500 in cash and iPhones, among others, are offered for those aged 12 to 17.

Leon Guerrero said at the launch of the program last June 4 that the total cost of prizes being given away is about $250,000.

“Once you've received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or the one of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you are eligible to enter (the raffle),” she said then.

Based on the latest update from Guam’s Joint Information Center, 90,933 individuals on the island have been fully immunized. Those who registered for the raffle were 51,535.

The same report also said that as of June 21, the number of reported COVID-19 cases on the island stood at 8,304, of which, 8,049 were confirmed. Sixty-nine of the cases are active.

“I just want to thank the families that are here, who saw the importance of getting vaccinated, and really got vaccinated not because they wanted to win something, but because they wanted to win something for their family in terms of their protection, their safety, and the safety of our community,” Leon Guerrero said during Wednesday’s raffle draw.

Different kinds of incentives for those who get COVID-19 shots have been offered in many parts of the world amid vaccine hesitancy among some members of the population.

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