Magdalena, the Unholy Saint aka Santa Santita

Malen is the only daughter of Chayong, a prayer woman in Quiapo who complements her trade with selling rosaries and scapulars. Stubborn and willful, Malen listens to nobody and does what she wants, even if it is against her mother's wishes. No wonder she becomes easily involved with Mike, a charming and wily tourist driver, who is very much like her. Fr. Tony is a troubled priest who seeks sanctuary in Quiapo. Assigned to a room below the place where Malen and Chayong live, he is witness to Malen's flagrant disobedience. He knows Chayong's grief when Malen leaves her to go away with Mike. It doesn't take long for Chayong to grow weak and eventually die of heartbreak. But Malen comes back, and when she does, she has no choice but to take over her mother's job as a prayer woman. She has to survive! So despite the negative comments of other prayer women, Malen stays at the church and accepts prayer requests from desperate souls in exchange for donations. Surprisingly, her prayers get answered even if she does not mean them. Malen can't understand why, but her clientele keeps growing. She is earning good money, so why should she care? As for Mike, he continues to be the hustler that he is. Besides being the personal driver of Mrs. Hoffman, he is also fooling around with her. When Mrs. Hoffman refuses to pay him for his additional services, he flies into a rage. A traffic accident leads him to shoot a man. He seeks refuge in Malen. But after a while, he leaves her again. He goes to the province to visit his young son, who is terminally ill. Malen too falls ill. But three days after her ordeal, she wakes up to find that her customers whose prayers were answered have come to her house to thank her. News about her power as a prayer woman has spread. Malen struggles with her newfound power. She can now heal people, and even the devout and hardworking nun, Sister Dolor, is convinced. She had been able to heal an old, festering wound on the nun's foot. Malen talks to the alcoholic priest who lives downstairs and seeks his advice. The experience transforms her. And him. She is able to forgive herself for her sins, especially those against her mother. But now comes her biggest test. Mike's son has died and he brings him to her. For the first time in her career as a prayer woman, she finds herself praying and trusting with all her heart. Can she bring him back to life? Will God grant her this prayer? Does she or does she not have the gift?

Format DVD Director Laurice Guillen Categories Drama, K-O Movie Time 113 minutes

Language English, Tagalog Release Date 12/01/2003 Starring Angelica Panganiban, Cherrie Pie, Hilda Koronel, Jericho Rosales, Johnny Delgado, Pinky de