MANILA, Philippines?After being interrupted by exaggerated reports of her demise, Masses for the healing of former President Corazon Aquino resumed on Saturday with churchgoers wearing yellow ribbons and Cory buttons?and even singing the bouncy tune ?Tie a Yellow Ribbon.?

?We are all praying for her because she has been God?s miracle to us,? Fr. Glen Infiesto said during a Mass held at the Pearl of Great Price Chapel on the De La Salle University (DLSU) campus on Taft Avenue in Manila.

?We should not only pray for her good health, but also be inspired by Cory and her life,? Infiesto said.

A picture of Aquino in deep prayer and dressed in her signature yellow was flashed on a screen while prayers were said.

A montage of pictures taken when she was leading rallies against Ferdinand Marcos? dictatorship and campaigning for the 1986 snap presidential election was also flashed to the tune of ?Tie a Yellow Ribbon.?

?In behalf of the family, we thank you all for your continued prayers and support,? Aquino?s first cousin, Lito Tanjuatco, said.

?We can only continue to pray,? Tanjuatco said in reference to the former President?s condition.

Shining moment

On the DLSU campus where Aquino, 76, made some of her rare public appearances after being diagnosed with colon cancer in March last year, yellow ribbons fluttered from the iron-grill fences, trees and posts.

Cris Carrion, who chairs the Spirit of Edsa Foundation, distributed Cory buttons to churchgoers.

?Cory gave us Edsa. It was a shining moment for all of us,? Carrion said.

He said he had ordered Cory T-shirts and more buttons to be distributed in honor of the ailing former President.

Among Aquino?s last public appearances was the launch of the ?I Am Ninoy? campaign at the DLSU in November 2008. The campaign was intended to educate the young on the heroism of her assassinated husband, former Sen. Benigno ?Ninoy? Aquino Jr.

She also graced a symposium on Filipino heroism and the launch of Ninoy Aquino commemorative stamps, held at the DLSU on Nov. 27, Ninoy?s birthday.

Masses for Aquino?s healing, organized by the Makati Business Club, will be held starting tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. at the Greenbelt 5 chapel in Makati.

No trips for Lim

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who had earlier organized healing Masses for the former President, said he had decided to forego foreign trips to be near her and her family.

Lim said he would rather attend all the healing Masses for the ailing icon of democracy, who appointed him head of the National Bureau Investigation in 1989.

The mayor said he had politely declined the invitation of Beihai Vice Mayor Wen Zheng to attend a city mayors? forum in China next month.

Officials of the Municipal People?s Government of Beihai paid Lim a courtesy visit at the Manila City Hall on Friday.

?We are constantly praying for her to overcome her present difficulty,? Lim told the Chinese delegation.

He also told them that he would send his international protocol relations officer, Baby Villegas, to represent him.

Reporters outside the Makati Medical Center chanced upon Eldon Cruz, one of Aquino?s sons-in-law, on Friday night.

In pain

Cruz said the former President was ?okay although she?s under pain management.?

?Let?s all pray that she will endure all the pain and suffering,? he said. ?I?m at a loss for words.?

Cruz said youngest daughter Kris was by her mother?s side around the clock.

He said the family would release a statement on Aquino?s condition ?very soon.?

At around 8 p.m. on Friday, Joshua, Kris? elder son by actor Philip Salvador, arrived to visit his Lola.

Two security guards stood at each of the ninth-floor corridor?s ends, and two others guarded the door to the former President?s room.

At least five uniformed policemen were positioned in front of the hospital.

Security still tight

On Saturday, security continued to be tight at the hospital where Aquino has been confined since late last month.

Around five women who headed to the ninth floor were stopped in their tracks by the sight of men guarding the corridor.

The group lingered and peered from afar, and left after a few minutes.

?So many people are coming here, just to ask how the President is. It?s good there are no more medical representatives around,? a hospital guard was overheard telling a doctor.

Aquino?s children and grandchildren have maintained their privacy since the start of her confinement. On Friday, reacting to false reports of their mother?s death, her five children appealed in a statement to the public and the media to give credence only to their announcements.

Entertaining friends now

The Aquinos, however, continued to entertain relatives and friends Saturday, unlike in previous weeks when only immediate family members were allowed.

Margarita ?Tingting? Cojuangco, wife of Aquino?s brother Jose ?Peping? Cojuangco, and former Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta, Ninoy Aquino?s youngest sister, were seen entering the hospital.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay was joined by his son, Councilor Junjun Binay, at past 1 p.m. in visiting the President who first installed him as city mayor more than 20 years ago.

Aquino was asleep during his entire visit, the mayor told reporters.

He said that for the past few weeks, he had heard that the family was not allowing visitors.

?I just took my chances now,? Binay said, adding that viewing the former President from afar, ?everything looks fine and normal.? With reports from Allison W. Lopez, Niña Catherine Calleja and Tina G. Santos