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By Cris G. Odronia, Reporter
The ailing former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, who was
battling colon cancer, was slowly recovering, her nephew said during
the last day of the novena Mass at the Greenbelt chapel in Makati
City.
Rafael Lopa, nephew of Mrs. Aquino, said the
former president, since her confinement at the hospital last week,
was now “slowly recovering after she lost her appetite and became
weak due to the lack of essential nutrients in her body.”
“I learned from my cousins that she now is
taking small portions of food through supplemental fluids through
IV,” Lopa, also the executive director of the Benigno S. Aquino
Jr. Foundation, told the attendees of the Mass.
“She is beginning to eat a little, unlike in
the past she was not eating. She is forcing herself to eat, fruits,
light soup,” he added.
The 76-year-old former President was brought
last week at the Makati Medical Center for loss of appetite, caused
by fluid build-up in her stomach area. She had been undergoing
radiation treatment for colon cancer. Mrs. Aquino was diagnosed to
have cancer in March 2008.
Lopa thanked all those who have offered their
prayers for the former president’s speedy recovery over the last
nine days.
“I am certain that their burden is made
lighter by your mere presence here and the outpouring concerns of
those who cannot be with us today,” he said. “All these
expressions of love for Auntie Cory, her children and grandchildren
are very much appreciated.”
At the ninth day of the novena, which was
celebrated by Bishop Teodoro Bacani, among those who attended the
Mass were Vice President Noli de Catro and El Shaddai leader Brother
Mike Velarde.
De Castro said he believed that through prayers,
the former president could recover from her present illness. For his
part, Velarde said he prayed for Mrs. Aquino’s quick recovery
because “she has become our symbol of strength for freedom.”
Be like Cory
Meanwhile, Bishop Bacani asked the Filipino
people to continue offer their prayers for the full recovery of Mrs.
Aquino.
In a radio interview, the bishop said President
Gloria Arroyo should emulate Mrs. Aquino. She was not after powers,
he said, adding that when she found out that she was the only one
who could defeat then President Ferdinand Marcos, she fought.
“Pero noong napasakanya na ang kapangyarihan,
hindi niya ginamit ang kapangyarihang ito at nagmadali pa siyang
isuko ang kapangyarihang ito ng magkaroon ng bagong Constitution
[But when she was able to assume power, she did not use it and even
hastened to relinquish it when a new Constitution was adopted],”
he added.
“Sana malaman iyan ng kasalukuyang Pangulo na
kung dapat ng bumaba at dumating na ang panahon na dapat na siyang
bumaba eh bumaba na siya [Hopefully this would be known to the
sitting President, that when the time comes to step, that she would
step down],” Bacani said.
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