After Nearly 20 Years in Dubai, Filipina Expat Wins Her First Property Through ‘Win Your Home in Dubai’

Ethel Metry, the initiative’s eighth winner, turns a last-minute gift purchase before a holiday into an unexpected milestone

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 12 August 2026: Another lucky shopper has joined the growing list of Win Your Home in Dubai winners after an ordinary purchase led to an extraordinary reward. Filipina expat Ethel Metry, who has called Dubai home for nearly 20 years, has become the campaign’s eighth winner of the brand-new studio apartment.

Ethel’s winning entry came from a last-minute shopping trip before travelling to the Philippines for her holiday. After purchasing a gold ring from Jawhara as a gift for a family member, the sales associate introduced her to the Win Your Home in Dubai initiative and encouraged her to participate by uploading her receipt. She never imagined that the simple purchase would become her winning entry.

When the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) team contacted her with the news, Ethel was already in the Philippines. Unsure if the call was genuine due to the poor connection, she only began to believe the news after receiving the official confirmation email. Reflecting on the moment, Ethel said: “I have seen so many stories about people winning amazing prizes in Dubai, but I never imagined I would be one of them. When I received the call, I wanted it to be true, but I was also worried it wasn't. I even went on Instagram and looked at all the previous winners before it finally felt real.”

She continued: “The first person I called was my husband, and I told him, ‘I won an apartment.’ His first response was, ‘Are you serious?’ We were both in disbelief. This is the first raffle I have ever entered and the first time I have ever won anything. It is unbelievable”.

For Ethel, the win represents a dream come true after nearly two decades in Dubai. While she has not yet decided what the future holds for the studio apartment, owning a property under her name in the city she calls home is a milestone she never imagined.

“Nothing is impossible. It really happens. People really do win from simply shopping. I have already told my sister that it’s still running until 30 August and encouraged her to keep shopping because maybe she will be the next winner,” she added.

The Win Your Home in Dubai initiative, jointly led by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), a part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), and Dubai Chambers, offers shoppers the opportunity to win one of 12 new Binghatti Developers residential units across Dubai.

The remaining weekly draws are scheduled for 16, 23, and 30 August at Dubai Festival City Mall. Each week, one studio apartment will be awarded, and one lucky shopper will win the grand prize of a two-bedroom apartment at the grand draw.

Running until 30 August 2026, Win Your Home in Dubai continues to give residents and visitors more reasons to explore Dubai’s retail destinations this summer. Eligible residents and visitors aged 18 and above can enter for a chance to win an apartment by simply spending AED 500 at any of the 1,000+ participating brands across more than 3,500 retail outlets in Dubai. To validate their entry, shoppers can scan the QR code on official campaign materials at participating locations and upload their receipt.