Can Fr. Suarez heal the state of corruption in Philippine Government?

(Published in Zamboanga Today on February 2, 2008.)

Now renowned healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez is being sought after by many Filipino Christians who believe that he is God's instrument inperforming healing miracles. Thousands flock to every mass he celebrates in any part of Luzon. Observers who are not too religious, or are non-Catholics, are amazed at the reaction of the 'multitudes' that they say, on few incidents, display nuances of fanaticism. But then, Filipinos are mostly devotees to the religion we belong to. Not too many among us are too committed in the exercise of faith.
Some say that believing in the power of healing through prayer andmiracles is definitely not wrong, for as long as the person is God's instrument. But then, how are we to know this? Certainly not at one glance. Right now, even the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is observing closely Fr. Suarez himself.
Fr. Suarez is born of Filipino parents but accordingly bears a Canadian citizenship. He has been assigned to the Philippines and has been serving in Luzon areas, and will soon leave the country to be in North America. He is set to be back in Manila in September yet.
But do we need a Fr. Suarez to heal us of our illnesses? Someone said, we can preempt the occurrence of ailments if we took care of our health, and be careful with the food we partake—because the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
What about the socio-political illnesses? The Philippines bears the most malignant cancer of a government system: graft and corruption. Other Asians sometimes marvel at how we have unknowingly tolerated this to develop and be in its worsening condition. Those in government are flaunting the 'achievement' of building a strong peso—which is now at its lowest forty to a dollar. Yet, this joy is foreseen by businessmen and economic analysts to be short-lived. One cannot tell.
Perhaps, one can just ask: Could Fr. Suarez heal the Philippine Government from its being corrupt? (Frencie L. Carreon)