Veteran street vendor compares earnings from two papal visits
January 19, 2015 6:54pm
A 54-year-old vendor in Manila was there when St. John Paul II visited the Philippines in 1995. Some 20 years later, she was in the same spot on United Nations Avenue near Taft to witness another papal visit – this time that of Pope Francis. 
 
Virginia Acayang sells "sari-sari" goodies like coffee, candies, bread, biscuits, water, and cigarettes in front of Manila Medical Center in Manila.
 
In her 30-year experience as a vendor, she couldn't help but compare the amount of money she made from the latest papal visit with what she made during the time of John Paul II.
 
"Nang bumisita po si Pope John Paul II malakas din po, pero ngayon po mas malakas kasi mas dumami ang tao, parang dumoble," she told GMA News Online on Sunday, before the concluding mass of the Holy Father that drew an estimated six to seven million people in the immediate vicinity of Rizal Park or Luneta Park.
 
When Pope John Paul II visited the Philippines for the World Youth Day in 1995, his Holy Mass at Rizal Park drew some four to five million Filipinos.
 
Compared with her usual daily income, Acayang said amount tripled during the visit of Pope Francis.
 
Her pushcart cum sari-sari store along Taft Avenue was not the only business that made a killing during the papal visit.

Increased daily take

Tricycle driver Merly Aberujuela, 52, said her daily take also increased.
 
The main customers, Aberujuela said, were the well-wishers and worshippers who took part in the public events of the pontiff.
 
On Sunday, mobile sari-sari stores mushroomed around Luneta. Apart from the usual biscuits and softdrinks, there were slippers, rain coats and papal memorabilia being sold on the street.
 
Hotels near Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, where the papal activity culminated with a High Mass, were fully-booked weeks before the scheduled visit of the charismatic pontiff.

 
Big businesses

Even the country's big businesses and multinationals also cashed in on the five-day papal visit using Pope Francis' image on their products and services. 
 
On Monday morning, Pope Francis left Manila and concluded his Asian tour that began in Sri Lanka early last week.
 
While in the country, the Argentine pope mingled with former street children, victims of super typhoon Yolanda, the youth, and members of other religious groups in the Philippines. – VS, GMA News

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