Faith and business: Memorabilia vendors thank Pope Francis for blessing their trade
January 19, 2015 12:30pm
While millions of Filipinos devotees were enjoying a rare five-day weekend that allowed them to experience Pope Francis, many among the crowd were able to mix faith and business.
 
“May special na paninda kami para sa bisita ni Santo Papa,” Leni Maltu, a towel and handkerchief vendor told GMA News Online.
 
She said the papal visit has been good for business. She felt blessed because she was able to do business while being near the Pope.
 
“Okay naman po... Masaya naman po at nakita namin si Papa,” she said.
 
There are some adjustments, however, because of time constraints surrounding the papal visit. 
 
For one, Maltu said she had to lower prices to move her merchandise – particularly on the Pope’s last day in the Philippines.
 
“Naubos naman po, binargain namin para maubos kasi paalis na si Papa. Pero hindi naman lugi, balik naman puhunan, at may kaunting tubo,” she said.
 
On the other hand, Jovie Sunga, a button pin and keychain vendor said she had to bring prices down to sell her goods on the last day of the Pope’s five-day state and apostolic visit.
 
“Nung simula po, 20 isa... Ngayon, tatlo 50 para mabilis maubos. Pero 'di naman lugi, kita pa rin,” she said.
 
An unemployed waitress whose sideline as a vendor allows her to earn some cash, Sunga was thankful – beyond the income opportunity – for the chance to get a glimpse of the Pope up close.
 
“Pasalamat pa rin kami sobra sa kaniya... Na-bless niya kami, lalo na sa Cathedral nung nag-simba kami. Nag-benta kami sa Cathedral at MOA din – lahat ng pinuntahan ni Pope. Apat na beses namin siya nakita, sulit talaga,” she said.
 
Street sweeper Rosalinda Semic felt blessed even if she and her colleagues have been deployed early to clean up streets for the Holy Father.
 
“Hindi namin nararamdaman 'yung pagod, kahit gutom.
 
"Ang schedule namin sa pag-uwi... ginagabi kami. Kahit maulan, sige pa rin ang pag-walis namin,” she said, noting that the garbage they collected from streets was volumes more than their usual haul.
 
Semic attributed the voluminous trash to the Filipino habit of littering, nursing the hope that Pinoys would live out the messages of the Pope about taking care of the environment.
 
“Kung ako ang tatanungin, maraming nag-bago rin sa pananaw ko sa buhay. Nakita ko 'yung kahit umulan, o maiinit man, nag-ti-tiyaga sila. Nag-sa-sacrifice sila sa sarili nila. 
 
"Sa situasyon ko [as street sweeper], okay lang. Kaya kong tiisin 'yun. Hindi ko lang alam sa Pilipino, sa ibang tao. Sana magtuloy-tuloy. Kung ano ang iniwan ni Pope, sana sumunod din sila,” she said.
 
The Pope boarded the Philippine Airlines plane that will take him straight to Rome at 9:49 a.m. on Monday. The plane took off at 10:12 a.m.
 
Sending off the Pope were President Benigno Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar Binay and 12 Cabinet secretaries. Twelve members of the Church, some of them members of the organizing committee of the five-day papal visit, were also there to see the Pope off.
 
As soon as the Pope arrived at the Villamor Air Base at around past 9:30 a.m., chants of "Viva Santo Papa!" and "Pope Francis, we love you!" were heard from the crowd gathered at the military facility. – VS, GMA News

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