What would you do if you won one hundred thousand pesos in cash? This was the question posed to Ms. Norma Falo one afternoon over the phone.

Not believing what she heard, she kept asking the person on the other line if she was playing a joke on her. “Nanonood ako ng Wowowee nung tumunog ang telepono. Pagkasagot ko ng telepono, tinanong ako, ma’am ano pong gagawin nyo kung sakaling nanalo kayo ng P100,000? Sabi ko, wag ka naman magbiro. Baka joke lang yan, wag ka naman magjoke. Kinakabahan ako.” (I was watching Wowowee when the phone rang. When I answered the phone, I was asked, Ma’am, what would you do if you won P100,000? I said, please don’t play a joke on me. That might just be a joke. Don’t play a joke on me. I am nervous.)

At 54 years old, Falo, a homemaker from Pandacan, Manila, and long-time policyholder of Insular Life, could not believe her luck. She had already forgotten, albeit temporarily, that a few days before that fateful call, she went to Insular’s office in Malate, Manila to claim her Centennial Gift, the G-Shield, a free one hundred thousand pesos accident insurance coverage for 100 days, which Insular gives to its loyal policyholders. Her visit to the said office also gave her the chance to be part of Insular’s CASHandog Centennial program, where policyholders with active policies, are qualified to daily and monthly raffle draws, and a grand raffle draw during Insular’s 100th Anniversary in November by filling out the Customer Information Update (CIU) form.
 
It was Falo’s husband who got her Endowment at 55 policy in 1977. The policy face amount was P20,000, and would mature when Falo turns 55 in a year. “Mister ko ang kumuha at wala akong kaalam-alam nung una. Siya rin ang nagbabayad. Nung magkaedad na ako, mga 35 years old, ako na ang nagbayad. Yung mister ko, meron din siya kaya lang na-surrender na niya. Sabi niya sa akin, ne, sayang naman yang sayo, wag mong pabayaang mawala, bayaran mo, kasi pag umidad ka ng 55, may pera ka pa.” (It was my husband who got the policy and I did not know anything about it at first. He was also the one who paid the premiums. When I became older, about 35 years old, I took over paying for the premiums. My husband also had a policy, but he already surrendered it. He told me, don’t let it come to waste, pay for your policy so when you turn 55, you will still have money.)

And that is what she has been doing. She religiously pays P126.15, in quarterly installments. By updating her information and consequently joining Insular’s CASHandog Centennial Program, her P20,000 policy face amount was even quintupled when she became a monthly grand prize winner. On May 12, accompanied by a nephew, she claimed her P100 thousand check from Insular’s Malate District Sales Office.

“Nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa Insular dahil ang laking bagay nitong ibinigay na award sa akin na hindi talaga inaasahan. Hindi ko na kailangang pumunta at pumila sa Wowowee.” (I really thank Insular because what they gave me is really big, and unexpected. I don’t have to go and line up at Wowowee.)

To answer what she would do with her prize money, she said, “Ipampapaayos ko ng ngipin, kasi bungi ako, at gusto kong magpaganda. Anniversary naming mag-asawa sa May 21, 38 years.” (I will have my teeth fixed because I want to look nicer. It’s our wedding anniversary on May 21, 38 years.)

Insular’s CASHandog Centennial Program is ongoing. Daily draws are held where two winners are awarded P500 load each. During the monthly draws, the grand prize winner gets P100 thousand, while ten winners receive a cellphone unit each. The Grand raffle draw will be held on Insular’s 100th Anniversary on November 25, 2010. On that day, the grand prize winner will be given P1 Million, while five LCD TV sets and 5 laptop units will be given to ten consolation prize winners.

To join the CASHandog Centennial Edition raffle, an Insular policyholder with an in-force policy simply accomplishes a Customer Information Update (CIU) form.  Each completed and validated CIU will qualify the policyholder to all the aforementioned benefits and prizes, plus a free Accidental Death Insurance coverage of P100,000 for 100 days.

Policyholders may get their CIU forms from  any of the Insular Life offices nationwide. They may call the company’s Customer Care hotline (02) 876-1-800 and press 0 for Metro Manila calls or toll free 1-800-10-INSULAR (467-8527) and press 1 for Provincial calls.  The forms may also be downloaded from www.insularlife.com.ph/policyholder_services/forms/centennial_ciuform.pdf.