Woman Passes Off Airbnb as Her Own Home and Invites Friends, Family and a Priest to Bless It

A woman in the Philippines is at the centre of a social media storm after allegedly passing off an Airbnb as her own home, inviting friends, relatives and a priest to bless the property and propping up family photographs on shelves that were never hers. What began as a short-term rental in Ilocos Norte has now sparked anger, jokes and fresh allegations about her past.

Giovah Rosh Hanah Arafiles, an Airbnb renter, is accused of holding a full house blessing inside a property she had booked but allegedly never paid for. The claim, raised by a friend of the owner, has drawn thousands of comments, a statement from the owner herself and renewed scrutiny of Arafiles's past.

The Viral Post That Sparked the 'House Blessing' Backlash

The controversy began on 1 July, when Facebook user Badette Dulay Galo shared photos of a blessing ceremony held at a property in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. Galo, who said she was invited to the event, claimed Arafiles had only rented the house.

According to Galo, Arafiles had displayed family photographs inside the house 'as if it belonged to them' and had invited guests, caterers and a priest to bless a home not hers. The real property owner was reportedly furious.

The post quickly spread beyond Facebook, reaching Filipino communities on Reddit within days.

Airbnb Owner Lucky Joy Dumlao Breaks Her Silence

The property's owner, Lucky Joy Dumlao, confirmed in a statement on Facebook that Arafiles had rented the house 'on several occasions', with the first bookings paid by credit card. The third and fourth stays, she said, were never settled despite repeated promises.

Despite the lack of payment, Dumlao allowed Arafiles to stay in her property. The Airbnb guest also reportedly requested permission for her family to hold a 'small gathering at the property'. Dumlao later said the event turned out to be a house blessing.

Dumlao's statement also detailed a separate, and larger, financial dispute involving the same property. She said Arafiles's husband had expressed interest in buying the house outright, and by the end of February the two parties had agreed on a purchase price.

In March, Dumlao and her family travelled to the Philippines to prepare the necessary documents and complete the sale, but the payment never arrived, she said.

'Hanna represented that she would send payment through a wire transfer. Based on her representations, I repeatedly visited my bank to inquire about the status of the transfer. Initially, I was told there may have been an issue with one bank, but subsequent inquiries with other banks confirmed that there were no problems on their end and that I should have received the funds within three business days,' Dumlao wrote.

'When I asked Hanna about the delay, she continuously provided different explanations and reasons for why the money had not arrived. She later sent a check, which I deposited into my bank account. Which is the check is a FRAUDULENT CHECK [sic]. Ultimately, none of the promised transfers or payments were ever completed,' she added.

The ordeal, Dumlao said, prompted her to look into the matter herself. 'After conducting my own investigation, I became concerned that the representations made to me were false,' she wrote.

Dumlao ended her statement by saying she had continued trying to reach Arafiles, but had received no reply and no payment as of 5 July.

Why Filipinos Can't Stop Talking About the Airbnb House Blessing

The story has become one of the country's most-discussed online topics this month, with many commenters focusing on the alleged audacity rather than any legal implications. Several joked that they too wanted to host a house blessing, only to be held back by the small matter of not owning a house.

Others debated the etiquette itself, arguing that a blessing held by a renter is not inherently wrong, provided the owner has given consent. Galo pushed back, insisting the issue was never the rental but Arafiles allegedly presenting the house as her own in front of guests.

Arafiles's Rocky History With 'Scammer' Accusations

This is not the first time Arafiles has faced accusations of leaving people out of pocket. She was previously called a 'scammer' online after she and her then-husband, Gomer Dacnas, were accused of failing to pay several wedding suppliers.

Those earlier allegations circulated widely on Facebook well before the Airbnb row, and many commenters have now revisited them. For a number of Filipino social media users, the house blessing saga is being discussed as part of a longer-running pattern.

As of publication, neither Arafiles nor her representatives have issued a public response to the latest allegations.