Online e-commerce site Shopee found itself in hot wate on Thursday after netizens expressed their dismay on the company for hiring TV host and actress Toni Gonzaga as its new brand ambassador.
The keywords Shoppee and Lazada were among the trending topics on social media platform Twitter with netizens voicing out their disappointment in the company, some even resorting to deleting the application from their phones.
Netizens were futher provoked by the announcement as it comes a week after the online site announced that it will be downsizing its local staff.
Several online sellers also have expressed their intention to pull out of the online selling site.
UNFAZED
In a media event on the same day, Gonzaga, who is a staunch supporter of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. during the last elections, thanked the online audience for the high engagement on her launch.
"Since yesterday we are trending, today we are grateful for our netizens for the mentions and engagements, they are the reasons why we are here today," Gonzaga said as she was officially announced as an endorser.
Meanwhile, the company said Gonzaga was chosen for her "mass appeal" & not her political leanings.
Shopee, on the other hand, has yet to release an official statement on the reported mass layoff of its employees.
