Nina Elmina Sanchez, the grand prize winner of Al Ansari Exchange’s 2020 Winter Promotion, said that she has already fully paid her home and car back in the Philippines after taking home the full amount of AED1 million—tax free.
She revealed that the first thing she did when the money was deposited to her account was to buy a house and lot in full. The Filipina said she also paid the complete amount of their van—which she used to settle on a monthly installment basis.
“Una ko po talagang ginawa ay bumili ng bahay at bayaran ng buo ang sasakyan namin. Masaya ako and proud akong sabihin na may sarili na akong bahay at sasakyan, at hindi ko na siya kailanganing problemahin, kaya’t nagpapasalamat ako sa Al Ansari Exchange,” she said.
The UAE-based remittance center, together with worldwide Money Transfer Company, named Sanchez their seventh millionaire during a live draw for their 2020 Winter Promotion, the latest edition of the biggest cash reward in the industry.
The 32-year-old Filipina, who was working as a guest service agent in a hotel, became a millionaire after transferring AED186 to support her father back home.
She said that it took her a long time to actually believe that she won the promo, because being in the UAE for only a year, becoming a millionaire was the last thing she expected.
“Noong una hindi pa ako naniniwala na nanalo ako. Pero tinawagan ako ng staff ng Al Ansari at sinabing nanalo ako ng AED1 million. Tinanong ko kung prank ba iyon kasi mahirap siyang paniwalaan,” she said.
Sanchez added that when she told her family about it, they were all crying—even her cousins who used to work in Dubai and were also avid customers of Al Ansari Exchange.
“Yung family ko lahat sila nag-iiyakan kasi yung iba galing dito at tinatangkilik namin ang Al Ansari Exchange. Lahat sila umasa noon na manalo sa promo ng remittance center,” she added.
The Filipina said she plans to allocate a huge part of her winnings to secure the education of her son, as well as think of entrepreneurial ways on how to further grow her money. For the meantime, however, Sanchez said she will continue to work because she enjoys the job and still likes living in the UAE.
She also encouraged Filipinos to continue using the services of Al Ansari Exchange and keep the faith because maybe, one day, one of them will become a millionaire as well.
“Para sa mga kapwa ko Pilipino dito sa Dubai, keep on hoping and sending remittance through Al Ansari Exchange. Malay natin isang araw, kayo naman ang mabunot at magkaroon ng AED1 million,” said Sanchez.
