For two years, the people at Virtua Solutions had to content themselves with attending online events due to the pandemic restrictions. But when the stars finally aligned, the company decided to go all out in its first face-to-face Christmas party last Dec. 3. Find out what happened in this fun-filled outing.
Making The Stars Align For Virtua
Of course, making the event happen was by no means easy. Due to the company’s busy schedule, the organizers only have two weeks to prepare for the event. The seemingly impossible task fell into the hands of HR officers Louie Alfon and Lara Fuensilida. The two worked tirelessly to plan the event and get people to join in.
Fortunately, everything went well with the planning and they found the right venue even in a short time. While the season is already ripe for face-to-face events, Virtua opted to do a hybrid setup to let employees residing outside of the metro join in the fun.
CEO Penny and the Virtua gang. Image courtesy of Penny Lat.
And join they did. As early as six in the evening, the Aby Bistro was already teeming with attendees. There was a bit of a pre-party dinner, so everyone got to spend some time chatting with colleagues they haven’t seen physically in two years. Many of the different client support teams were well represented, with major client Network For Good almost in complete attendance.
Virtual partygoers were also not to be outdone, with more than 40 people logging in to join in the fun. The Zoom meeting needed several pages just to display everyone who was partying in the comforts of their home. And even with some technical hiccups, everyone was raring to go with the show.
Partying Under The Stars
After some waiting, bubbly host Ash Avila opened the event. Despite having to travel to the United Kingdom for business, Virtua CEO Francis Guintu and marketing head Cha Arias made their presence felt. The duo gleefully delivered their opening messages from their hotel on another continent. And in their winter garb no less.
Francis expressed his delight to see the dozens of partygoers at the venue. He recalls that Virtua’s first-ever Christmas “party” was just for three people. The next one grew to 15 people. Now, the company is in full swing for a huge event.
Frank And Cha live from the UK.
Francis remarks that they are also about to reach another milestone, employing more than a hundred people by the end of the year. And Virtua certainly didn’t waste the opportunity to also celebrate this event. The event is overflowing with food and drinks for those lounging around.
And as any party goes, there were also a lot of fun games for eager participants.
The first game of the night was a Tiktok dance-off. Host Ash plucked five unassuming Virtua employees for the chance to win a thousand pesos worth of Gcash. And of course, no self-respecting Virtua agent would want to miss that.
The brave Tiktokers of Virtua.
So the five brave souls got ready to strut to one of the latest Tiktok dance crazes. They grooved and moved their bodies to the tune. And after all that crazy grinding and butt-shaking, Dryan Campos won the coveted GCash prize.
There were also several other parlor games for both the physical partygoers and the virtual ones. And everyone was game to join in. After all, the Gcash prices are not something to scoff about.
A Parade Of The Virtua Stars
Of course, no stellar Christmas celebration is without its stars. And Virtua has no shortage of them. The first stars to parade are the ones with the golden voices. Open mic mainstay Francesca Cunanan kicked off the event with her rendition of Kyla’s If The Feeling Is Gone.
Rhealyn Abalos was the next one to perform a sultry song. Her jazz piece definitely fit the bar mood of the night. And with everyone clamoring for an encore, Raya sang live, with added rapping.
Raya during her impromptu jam session. Photo courtesy of Vera Panganiban.
Third contestant Raya was not to be outdone with her rendition of Moira’s Paubaya. And after a few delays, Virtua’s male balladeers also showcased their stuff. Jay Mark Rino channeled Yael Yuzon with his version of Spongecola’s Crazy For You. LA Morena capped the Open Mic with his acoustic ballad.
Of course, no Christmas party would be complete without the stars of the night. Everyone was game for the pageant, dressed in their best holiday garb. There was even a full-blown Santa costume with a beard.
A Shower Of Blessings From The Stars
Being its first-ever major gathering in the last two years, Virtua was also generous with the prizes for its games and raffles. Yours truly, who had to be content with a virtual presence, was still lucky enough to win 500 bucks in the minor draws.
But it was the winners in the major raffles and events for whom the stars really shined brightly. The Open Mic competition crown went to LA He took home a whopping 6000 pesos as prize.
Virtua’s new Open Mic king LA Morena.
As for the Face of the Night, there were two. The beautiful Tonee Geronga grabbed the crown for those in physical attendance, Meanwhile, to no one’s surprise, Mr. Santa Claus won the title in the virtual category. And when asked to reveal his face, it was none other than Benham Yessae.
Face to face Star Of The Night Tonee G.
Mr. Santa Claus
Both received 4000 pesos each.
And of course, there is the highly anticipated raffle draw. For the minor prizes, Jared Garcia and, amusingly, Cha Arias were the lucky ones. Cha can’t help but laugh at her win even when she was in another country.
And for the major prize, Maria De Guzman continued her winning streak. The new mother has been a constant winner in Virtua’s previous raffles and contests. She remarks that her baby must be her lucky charm. Lucky Maria gets to choose one from the several big ticket items up for grabs, including a 55-inch TV, a new high-end laptop, and even a trip to Boracay.
A Starry Road Ahead For Virtua
In her closing remarks for the event, Virtua co-founder Penny Lat expressed her heartfelt gratitude to those who attended. “Sobrang thankful ako sa mga bumiyahe pa, lalo na yung mga taga-Nueva Ecija, Naga, at Baguio.” She added that it was a wonderful experience meeting those from afar.
Penny also promised that there will be more events for Virtua’s growing family. She said that she is looking forward to seeing everyone again next year. And with that, Penny declared the after-party open as everyone continued their fun time under the stars.