MODULE 4- j. paulo

Santa Santita is a story faith. It is a story of salvation. It is a story of changing one’s life for the better. It is a story of hope.
The plot of Santa Santita revolves around Malen, the daughter of a devout Catholic named Chayong who makes a living praying for other people at Quiapo church. A prayer-for-hire one may say, she accepts the requests of people to pray for them, believing that God heeds Chayong’s prayers more than theirs. Although she graciously takes donations, she does not see her work as a business but rather as a tradition that she inherited from her mother and grandmother. Her deep devotion carries on to her home, where she has numerous effigies of Santo Nino, Virgin Mary, and saints she pray to each night.
Malen, on the other hand, does not see herself following her mother’s footsteps. She sells religious items outside of the church. Whether it is to meet men or not is unsure, but her mannerisms and outside appearance depicts that of the typical “slut”. Consequently, other prayers near her mother sees her as such and despises her based only on their own prejudice.
Another notable character in the film is Mike, who is a rental car driver. Malen met Mike while selling her goods outside the church. True to her appearance, she used her female sensuality to entice Mike to buy a necklace. Due to a mutual attraction to each other, they proceeded to see each other for the next few days. Later do we find out that Mike has another job, or rather a hidden job. He offers himself, for a price of course, to his lady customers who are willing to quench their sexual hungers.
Still another character of importance is Father Tony. Unlike any other priest I have seen, Father Tony smokes and drinks frequently. He occupied the apartment below Chayong and Malen’s place after being recalled to Manila from Cagayan. The reason for doing this is to take heat off him, who is accused of stealing money from church funds. Of course he swears he is innocent, but agrees to return to Quiapo church.
The plot of the movie takes off after Malen and Chayong gets into an argument. Earlier in the day Malen feinted having a fever so she can stay home. Her plan all along was to meet up with Mike once her mother had gone for the church. She spent the whole day with him and way into the night. Coming home late, her mother confronted her about her actions. They exchanged harsh words to each other and Malen runs away to Mike’s place.
While she was gone, her mother collapsed in church from a stroke and eventually passes away. Unaware of her mother’s status, Malen returns home to a crowd of people paying their last respects. After the burial Sister Dolor informs her that although Chayong took care of the place for the church, she still paid for the water and electricity. Faced with this problem, Malen reluctantly taken on her mother’s old job. Other prayers find this as blasphemous, since Malen is only in it for the money.
As luck would have it, every person who paid her to pray for them got their wishes granted. One person finally passed his physical examination and could now work abroad. One boy is reunited with his father after years apart. They praise Malen for her work and soon she has lines of people asking her to pray for them. Fearing her presence there would cause more chaos, the church asked her to leave and she ended up seeing people in her house.
Malen later on deals with her conscience and talks to Father Tony about it. She knows what she is doing is wrong. She just tells people that she will pray for them but she is just in it for the money. She also tells him about her dreams and how she felt pain in her hands when she woke up. He told her it is called stigmata, and that it is very rare that a person is granted the sensation of feeling Christ’s wounds. So rare that even priests may have devoted their whole life to the church and not even feel it. It is after this talk with Father Tony that Malen embraces her new life and wholeheartedly helps people out. She is so committed that even when Mike asked her to ran away with him after killing a politician, she opted to stay for she has responsibilities with the people.
The film ended with Mike getting in jail, where he learns live a better life. Malen continues on helping people out and Father Tony returns to Cagayan.
This film shows that it is never too late to change one’s life. It is possible for a man to change his stars. Just look at Malen. Who would have thought that a sinner such as her would end up being a religious figure to numerous people. Perhaps it is tied her name, for Malen is short for Magdalena, another version of Magdalene. And one should know Mary Magdalene’s story- the sinner who became a saint.
Also the movie shows that everyone has a role, or that everything has a reason. Perhaps the reason Father Tony was sent back to Manila was so that he can later on meet Malen. Perhaps it is fate that he would guide her to a better path, and her actions would make him realize that he has a drinking problem. Perhaps it is Malen’s role to show Mike that he can still change his life; that his life can be better once he gets out of prison.
Perhaps it’s the role of this film to show everyone that there is always hope.