By DJ Yap
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–Since opening four months ago, the “Gwapotel Inn” run by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has apparently delivered on its no-frills offer: Safe, decent lodgings for out-of-towners on a frugal budget.

And according to MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando, even white-collar types and traders have been checking in, taking advantage of the token charges: P20 for a night’s stay, a minimum of P5 for a bath.

More than 40,000 transients had a generally pleasant stay in the four-story “hotel’’ on Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila, since its opening last May 14, Fernando reported in a statement on Thursday.

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By Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines–It is inevitable to feel homesick to some degree when traveling to unfamiliar places abroad. Fortunately for Filipinos in Paris, there’s a place that offers a touch of home, thanks to a young Filipina who has settled in this City of Lights.

Dita Moraga, herself initially overwhelmed by the vastness of Europe, has found her heart and home in Hotel Gavarni in Paris, which is managed by husband Xavier Moraga. The couple met at the altar way before they tied the knot: Xavier was choirmaster, the Dumaguete lass the choir’s soloist. The two exchanged vows at the Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois Church, where NBA champion Tony Parker and “Desperate Housewives’” star Eva Longoria recently got hitched.

Cultural differences posed no problem to the Moragas’ union, thanks largely to Dita being well-traveled. Before she lived in Paris, she had stayed in Chicago for four years and in Holland for a year. “I can easily adapt to my surroundings,” says Dita, who now has two beautiful daughters with Xavier. Although she’s grown accustomed to the European lifestyle, Dita admits that she looks forward to her yearly visits to the Philippines and to the warm embrace of family and friends.

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