The five-day visit of Pope Francis in the Philippines was a blessing not only for the Filipino faithful but for businesses and vendors as well.

 

Hotels near Quirino Grandstand and Rizal Park were fully booked even weeks before the scheduled arrival of the Pope.

 

The Corporate Inn Hotel in Ma. Orosa St. corner T.M. Kalaw in Manila was already fully booked a few weeks ago.

 

It has a total of 58 rooms. 

 

Geryl Lebrilla, of the hotel's sales and marketing department, said they are usually fully booked during the holidays.

 

"Isa ito sa pinaka-puno ang hotel," she told GMA News Online.

 

Hotel H2O, just behind Quirino Grandstand, was also fully booked. It has a total of 147 rooms.

 

According to a reservations staff, the hotel was already full last month.

 

Manila Hotel, which has 500 rooms, was already fully booked even before January. 

 

For the branch of Wendy's in Taft. Avenue cor Kalaw St., Jan. 16, 17 and 18 were big days for them.

 

"Sobrang laki ng volume, triple yung dami ng customers," Norman Lalic, its branch manager, told GMA News Online.

 

Lalic said there was even a time that their supplies were not enough for the number of customers.

 

Liony Dimapawi, a 65-year-old woman, went to the Manila Cathedral, Mall of Asia Arena, Apostolic Nunciature, University of Santo Tomas and Quirino Grandstand.

 

She did this not just to see the Pope, but also to sell her items.

 

Dimapawi sold t-shirts and hats with Pope Francis' picture printed on it. 

 

She sold the items for P150 each.

 

"Maganda ang benta, marami ang bumibili," she told GMA News Online. —NB, GMA News