If India has Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Philippines has its own "living saint" in the person of former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino who has been enduring her sufferings for the love of God, people, and country.

Thus said Fr. Joseph Alonzo during the second of the nine-day healing Masses being offered by the Makati Business Club and the Management Association of the Philippines for Aquino's speedy recovery at the Sto. Nino de Paz chapel in Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

In his homily, Alonzo recounted how Aquino humbly accepted the pain of losing her husband, the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, and assuming the Presidency sans the experience just for the love of country.

"Like Mother Teresa, President Cory is our 'living saint' because she endured her sufferings for the love of God, country and people. She endured the pain of losing her husband and even faced the challenge of leading the country just to serve the Filipino people," he added.

The priest also reminisced how the cancer-stricken former leader would show humility while attending Masses at the same chapel.

"People would usually sit in the front pews just to be near the priests or bishops but not President Cory.

Even in choosing her seat in this chapel, she exercises humility in preferring to be seated away from limelight just to join the crowd in sincere prayer," Alonzo added. Even Aquino's former Tourism secretary, Rafael Alunan, who attended the Mass, vouched for Aquino's humility even if she held the highest post in the land.

He also lauded the efforts of Aquino's friends and former Cabinet officers in spearheading the "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" campaign to show support for Aquino, who's been called the "widow in yellow."

"I think the Filipino people will not forget Cory Aquino and [her signature color of] yellow will always symbolize her purity in pushing for reforms. The people yearn for those good times with Cory, when we're all together organizing and fighting for the common good," Alunan added.

Aquino's nephew, Rafael Lopa, said that visiting his aunt became more complicated lately.

"For the doctors, the less visitors is better because the room should be kept sanitized and comfortable for her," Lopa added.

The 76-year-old widow is billeted at a private room at the hospital's ninth floor, where members of the media are barred.

Aquino's only son, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino, III, earlier disclosed that doctors have strongly advised the former President to stay at her hospital room so she could immediately access medical attention since her cancer has already spread from her colon to the liver.

Aquino was diagnosed of having colon cancer in March, 2008. She was under chemotherapy and then underwent surgery last April. She returned to hospital last June 25 due to continued loss off appetite caused by fluid buildup in her stomach.

Aside from the MBC and MAP, the city governments of Makati and Manila are also offering simultaneous novena healing Masses for Aquino's speedy recovery.

Even the Coalition of Philippine Affairs (COPA) and the Spirit of EDSA Foundation followed suit in co-organizing a Mass for Aquino at the St. James the Great Church in Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City.