Former President Corazon Aquino is slowly recovering and starting to eat solid food, a congressman and a family relative revealed Thursday.

Although the Aquino and Cojuangco clans remained mum on the condition of the former president who is confined at the Makati Medical Center (MMC), Quezon Rep. Danilo

Suarez, who was also visiting a relative at the same hospital, said he found out that the former chief executive is doing well. Suarez told reporters that Mrs. Aquino is now eating solid food although only in small amount.

Rafael Lopa, a nephew of the former President, supported Suarez’s statement, saying Mrs. Aquino is “slowly recovering” at the MMC “after she lost her appetite and became weak” due to lack of nourishment.

Lopa invited the public to continue praying for the speedy recovery of his cancer-stricken aunt.

During the last of the nine-day novena Masses being offered at the Sto. Niño de Paz Chapel in Greenbelt 5, Makati, Lopa said Mrs. Aquino’s close friends and former Cabinet officials will once again organize a 6 p.m. Mass at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City and another round of 5:30 p.m. novena Masses at the Rockwell Center in Makati City next week.

Saying his cousins have requested him to speak before the public gathered at the novena Mass, Lopa said his “Auntie Cory” remains in stable condition after reportedly suffering from loss of appetite due to fluid buildup in her stomach.

“Since her confinement last week, Auntie Cory is 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 administered intravenously,” said Lopa, who is also the executive director of the Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. Foundation.

Lopa said the Aquino family’s “burden is made lighter by your mere presence here and the outpouring of concerns from those who cannot be with us today. All these expressions of love for Auntie Cory, her children and grand children are very much appreciated.”

Meanwhile, Bro. Mike Velarde of the El Shaddai Charismatic Renewal bombingsMovement said his charismatic group is likewise praying for Mrs. Aquino, who he described as the nation’s “symbol of strength for freedom.”

“We have continuous prayer vigils in our ministry since the center of our activities is praying. This time though, healing prayers for Cory was included in our prayer intensions,” he said.

Aside from Velarde, Vice President Noli de Castro was seen in the novena Mass, prompting the Makati City Police to augment security personnel deployed in the vicinity of the chapel.

According to SPO4 Edwin Quilala, the deployment of canine dogs and operatives of the bomb squad and special weapons and tactics team was meant to secure the huge number of attendees in the last novena Mass presided by retired Bishop Teodoro Bacani.