A foreign movie that should have been called Tuhog

Now showing at the Art Film cinema of Glorietta 4 is About Adam, which got good reviews abroad and was, in fact, one of the featured films at the Sundance Film Festival.

If this film were a Tagalog movie, it should have been called Tuhog. You see, this is a movie about a really charming man (Stuart Townsend) who first romances a singing waitress (Kate Hudson). Not content with her, he also carries on an affair with her middle sister (Frances O’Connor) and the eldest of the brood, Charlotte Bradley. At the same time, he also tries to seduce their brother’s girlfriend and – what do you know? – even their brother.

Although the story of this movie is told in non-linear form, it is neither boring nor confusing – thanks to its brilliant editing. The dialogues are also crisp and clever and animatedly delivered by a wonderful cast, particularly Frances O’Connor who looks mousy in the beginning, but eventually transforms into a very colorful and sexually liberated person by the middle of the film. Another cast member who gives an exceptional performance in the movie is the very talented Kate Hudson, a Golden Globe winner and an Oscar Best Supporting Actress nominee for Almost Famous. Her mom, Goldie Hawn, surely must be very proud of her.

The healing touch of God

Even before the anthrax scare hit the Philippines, there had already been a lot of illnesses going around. In local show business alone, there are a lot of people who are not in the best of health. Alma Moreno has multiple sclerosis. Character actor Rey Ventura has cancer of the liver and is in very bad shape. And as you very well know, Ricky Belmonte and Eddie Rodriguez both passed away just very recently. The situation seems so alarming that even people outside of show business are starting to get worried.

A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from Mrs. Susan Dorado, a former public school teacher married to a former consul general previously assigned to some countries in Europe and Africa.

Mrs. Dorado claims she is "a beneficiary of the miraculous healing through the Lord by the Sisters of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM)" and wants to spread the word to other people who are ill so that they, too, may be healed. She wanted to get in touch with Rio Diaz in particular, except that Rio, by then, had already flown to the US for her check-up. In fact, if you read Ricky Lo’s Funfare last Thursday, you should already know by now that Rio is back – and once more by the grace of God, no trace of cancer was detected by her doctors in the States.

Susan Dorado, however, still wants to share her miraculous healing with others so they, too, may benefit from it. According to her, she came to know of the healing of the RVM Sisters through a friend, Rose Mediatrix Sangalang, in October, 1994. Back then, she could no longer bend her right hand thumb and was scheduled for a carpal syndrome operation. The pain, she swears, was so unbearable she agreed to attend the healing session of Sr. Raquel Reodica, RVM, in a private residence in Calamba, Laguna. She was immediately healed after that.

A few years later, she got alarmed when she found several lumps on both of her breasts. She had this medically confirmed through ultrasound and mammogram and even submitted herself for check-up here and abroad.

Once more, she sought the help of the RVM Sisters and went through a series of healing sessions with Sr. Raquel and Sr. Gloria Ross at the Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo Healing Center in Bagumbong, Caloocan City.

When she went to Dr. Tranquilino Elicano, a noted specialist on breast cancer, the big lumps on her breasts were no longer there. What the doctor saw were some mongo-sized lumps that could be dissolved with oral medication. Again, she was healed and was able to join her diplomat husband in his new post in West Africa.

About two years ago, Mrs. Dorado put on weight and began to experience chest pains and had difficulty breathing. When her condition worsened, she consulted a doctor and was advised to undergo a coronary angiogram immediately. The results revealed that she had to go through either angio-plasty or a heart by-pass immediately and had to raise half a million pesos for the operation.

For the third time, she asked for the help of the RVM Sisters and went through a three-day healing session under Sr. Raquel, Sr. Gloria and Sr. Rosita Fernandez. Today, Mrs. Dorado claims she can again do light exercises and experiences neither chest pains nor panting while doing short walks. Without doubt, she was healed by the Lord through the Sisters of the Religious of the Virgin Mary.

The Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo Healing Center of the Religious of the Virgin Mary is located at Barangay Bagumbong in Caloocan City. Those who want to seek the help of the RVM Sisters may go there – or perhaps they can get in touch with Mrs. Susan Dorado at 09177492152.