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| Shopee employee Anna Meniano (right) with her long-time idol, Asia's Phenomenal 'Unkabogable' Superstar Vice Ganda (Image Source: Dot Daily Dose/Shopee Philippines) |
Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in the Philippines, made dreams come true for Anna Meniano, a Shopee employee and a super fan of Asia's Phenomenal 'Unkabogable' Superstar Vice Ganda, who finally got the chance to meet her long-time idol. Anna, who works for SPX Express, has always wished to meet Vice in person since becoming a fan of the comedian in 2009. She shared, “Lahat ng movies ni Vice pinapanood ko na since then. Every Christmas, panata na namin ng kids ko ang panoorin si Meme [I’ve watched all of Vice’s movies since then. It’s already a tradition for me and my kids to watch her movies every Christmas season].”
When Vice was announced as Shopee’s newest brand ambassador, the e-commerce company opened up an opportunity for employee fans to meet her up close, but luck was not on Anna’s side then. In hopes of bringing joy and unforgettable experiences to its employees during the holidays, Shopee granted an encore to the much-desired meet and greet. Anna recalls how she was in the middle of work when the announcement was sent out and how she hastily sent her response in. The company simply asked employees what makes them a superfan of Shopee’s current brand ambassador. “I named my son after Ion, dahil feeling ko, sila na ang ‘forever’ ni Ion. So I named my son ‘Zion’ [I named my son after Ion because I feel like they’re the ‘forever’ couple. So I named my son ‘Zion’],” stated Anna’s winning response and a photo of a signed, handwritten message from Vice that a friend got for her a few years back, saying how she hopes to meet Anna someday. Anna said she didn’t even have her hopes up high because of the expected outpour of entries. “Hindi ako masyadong umasa kasi feeling ko marami ulit sasali, wala din naman akong maraming merch ni Meme. All I have with me is my hope, thinking na matutupad na ‘yung message niya sakin na sana magkita na kami [I didn’t count on it too much because I felt like many people would join again. I don’t have a lot of Meme’s merchandise either. I was just hoping that her message about meeting each other someday might finally come true.]”
Anna’s heartfelt story stood out and made her the contest winner. During the company’s holiday gathering, Shopee arranged a surprise meeting between Anna and Vice Ganda. Looking back at the heartwarming encounter, Anna recalled, “Sobrang nanginginig ako that time. Nung tinawag ‘yung pangalan ko, hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko, kung lalapit ba ako o hindi. Pero ‘yung once in a lifetime chance ko na makalapit kay Meme, ‘yun ‘yung nasa isip ko [I was shaking. I didn’t know what to do when they called my name — if I should come to the front or not. But I told myself that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.]” The ecstatic fan, overwhelmed with emotions, expressed her admiration and finally shared about her son to Vice Ganda in person. The celebrity warmly responded, “Thank you for loving me. Super na-aappreciate kita. [I appreciate you so much.]" The moving encounter is just one of the many ways Shopee expresses its gratitude to its employees for their constant support and impactful contributions to the company. The contest not only brought joy to employees like Anna, but also showcased Shopee’s commitment to creating unique and memorable experiences for its very own Shopee Fam and connecting with them beyond work.
“I want to thank Shopee for making my dream come true. I know ang daming nag join and pwedeng mapili [I know there are a lot who joined and anyone could have been chosen], but thank you for choosing me. I want to thank our Shopee Engagement Team for making this possible. Thank you for all your efforts to make employees happy,” Anna added. As Shopee continues to be a beacon of joy and innovation in the e-commerce landscape, stories like Anna’s exemplify the platform’s dedication to bringing smiles and making dreams a reality.
