MANILA, Philippines — “God is heeding our prayers,” Deedee Siytangco, spokesperson of Corazon “Cory” Aquino said Friday as Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim hoped for a miracle for the ailing former president, now battling colon cancer at the Makati Medical Center where she has been confined since June.

“Apparently all our prayers are being heard. She’s in a stable condition and is not dependent on any life support system. That’s what I was told,” Siytangco told reporters after the healing Mass for Aquino at Manila City Hall.

Lim announced that the Masses originally organized for only a week would continue “as long as President Aquino is in the hospital.”

“We’ll wait for a miracle,” he added. “We owe her a lot. She has done a lot for us. Let’s do more for her this time.”

Siytangco clarified that Aquino, 76, who is suffering from stage 4 colon cancer, is not in a comatose state.

“She’s just resting. Her blood pressure is okay, her heart is strong and she’s breathing on her own,” she said. “She’s not attached to any life-support system, only her IV, because she still can’t eat.”

Siytangco added that Aquino was asleep most of the time, but said she was not aware if she was still taking painkillers.

No visitors allowed

The former president was still not allowed to accept visitors. “She’s in a very delicate condition and having many people in the room is not good for her. But very close friends who drop by keep the children company.”

Aquino’s five children and grandchildren take turns watching over her every day, she added.

Another healing Mass was offered for her Friday by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia who called on his provincemates in Negros Occidental “to give back to her what she deserves.”

Leonardia and former Negros Occidental Gov. Daniel Lacson Jr. were among the Bacoleños who joined the Mass at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) chapel, together with students who pinned yellow ribbons on the shirts of those who came.

Some wore yellow shirts, while Aquino’s friend, Millie Kilayko, gave out yellow ribbon car stickers as a gesture of solidarity and support.

Miracle brought her to power

“Cory needs everybody’s prayers. She is a symbol that transcends all political boundaries,” Leonardia said.

“She is a woman of destiny, a housewife not actively participating in politics who found herself president. I believe Cory was brought to power by divine intervention. If a miracle brought her to power, a miracle can still happen,” he added.

Leonardia said he did not know of anyone in local history who has drawn big groups from all over the land and other parts of the world to gather in prayer in a show of concern.

Bro. Ray Suplido, USLS president, said they wanted to join the others in prayers offered for Aquino. “She was a leader who worked for the common good. We would like her to continue to be in our midst, to continue being a good example,” he said.

Aquino was a recipient of the La Salle Fides Award on Oct. 16, 1986. The award is given to persons of exemplary faith founded on a strong commitment to service to the Church, to religious education and to the principles of peace and justice.

Church-state relations

As prayers and Masses were offered elsewhere, people remembered Aquino in different ways.

In Naga City, a former president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) recalled the “easy” church-state relations that marked her administration.

Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi, who oversees the six-diocese ecclesiastical province in the Bicol region, was CBCP president when Aquino assumed the presidency in 1986 until the end of her term. He was also the celebrant of the Requiem Mass at the funeral for Aquino’s slain husband, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.

The prelate said that since the former President was accessible to the CBCP, there was “less debate” on issues that involved the government and the Catholic Church.

He said it was the time when the Church was able to review its relations with the State with the convening of the Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP), attended by representatives from religious orders, the clergy, bishops and the laity.

Positive rating

Aquino was present at the closing of the PCP at San Carlos Seminary, where she was given a positive rating because no one could pinpoint any anomaly in her personal and political life, he added.

“But it was not a relationship without disagreements, especially on issues that involved the social well-being of the faithful. The CBCP was involved in mediating the brewing violence between the farmers and guards over the issue of land reform in Hacienda Luisita, the property of Cory’s family,” Legaspi said.

Meanwhile, in Makati City Saturday, students will light candles and offer yellow roses in the first healing Mass organized by the youth for Aquino.

Members of the iamninoy movement, a group created to stir heroism among the youth, will sponsor a “Young People’s Healing Mass” at the Sto. Niño chapel in Greenbelt from 2:30-3:45 p.m.

“Even if many of us were not yet born during the first Edsa Revolution, we still recognize the fact that we are enjoying the fruits of democracy because of her,” said Trishia Octaviano, iamninoy communications officer.

Inspiring

“We have been greatly inspired by Mrs. Aquino. Her story has changed our lives. She is an agent of change and we look up to her as a genuine leader,” she added. “There is power in prayer. Mrs. Aquino herself is a woman of deep faith.”

Aquino’s nephew, Rafael Lopa, executive director of the Aquino Foundation, and Jiggy Cruz, Aquino’s grandson, will also join the Mass.

On Friday, Aquino’s former staff joined in the prayers at the fifth of nine Masses organized by the Makati Business Club and Management Association of the Philippines. Another Mass has been scheduled at 12 noon Saturday at Greenbelt 5 chapel.

On Sunday, Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Yñiguez will be the celebrant of the 12:15 p.m. Mass for Aquino.