However, this season had me re think my lifestyle – not only because of the New Year’s Resolutions (‘cuz nobody’s resolute enough to actually do the deed) but the events that took place this season. First, I spent quality time with my aged mother (that’s when I found out – QUALITY TIME is definitely NOT a replacement nor substitute for CONSTANT TIME! Anyway that’s another tale to yarn). AND I met Engr. Mel Rivera of Paranaque!
AND WHO IS HE?
Well, let me start from being an OFW. 100% of us OFWs had experienced (and are still experiencing) the trials, triumphs, tribulations in our working places. We suffer from mental/emotional, physical and spiritual turbulences/deficiencies; spiritual - we cure with prayers – lip services mostly and the shoved-in fact in our brains that the ONE above (since nobody can see) forgives and then we can send our litanies of requests; physical – we get over-the-counter pills and/or our friends, friends’ friend had the same malady – presto – self-medication; mental/emotional – easy! We get someone, then tango. Never mind the husband/wife at home. That would be taken good care of during the 3 to 6 weeks holidays. And then holidays come. OFWs take care of everything except thorough check-up. And when we do, it will only be perfunctorily done. Just to assure ourselves that everything’s ok. Go to the doctor. Buy the prescribed medications and carry back to our working places extra medicines – in case.
Enter Engr. Melanio Rivera .
I have been an OFW for 3 decades and of course I have the accumulated maladies. My friend Ampy first mentioned about him when she talked of the progress of her husband who suffered a stroke and was treated both at home and in the US. The husband, an engineer who had an imposing posture before the stroke had had series of medications/therapies both for the body and the impaired speech. But for years, the progress was very minute until the day they met Engr. Rivera. Then came Marisa and Tikboy. This was in December 2010.
And from their testimonies, I booked for an appointment while still in Abuja, Nigeria.
I met Engr. Rivera on the 18th of December 2010 a day after I arrived in Manila. He is a certified Civil Engineer and a Master Plumber, worked with Transasia, CDCP and a top man at FF Cruz & Co. Inc. until his resignation in 1990.
Why Engr. Rivera? Why the resignation?
Here’s the story:
He hailed from a family of engineers (all 4 siblings ) from Tanaun, Batangas.
His near-death experience changed the entire course of his life and the hundreds of thousands who benefited from the ‘healing gift.’ In April 9, 1982, Good Friday (13 years of marriage April 9, 1969 to Emelita Babadilla of Cavite), he was rushed to the Hospital for an apparent flu attack. It was quite puzzling then that a flu attack can prove to be fatal. At that fateful day of April 9 of Good Friday at exactly 3:00 pm, he lost his heartbeat as well as his pulse beat. After exactly 15 minutes, he was revived to the chagrin of the funeral parlor representative (o yes, hospitals have their contacts in advance just in case!) He was then declared out of danger after 2 hours.
In his words, “I was out of my body and was seeing the doctors’ actions, shaking their heads. I was crying for help not to let me die. As I turned I saw Jesus Christ in his grandest splendor with 2 others. I immediately knelt and bowed my head. I was scared since I was taught that nobody should look at the face of God because we are sinners. JC put His hands over my head. Then a feeling of peace overcame me and I do not want to go back again. But a vision came forth: that of the human internal organs – like a full x-ray. This all came in a flash again and again that the internal mechanism of a human body is indelibly imprinted in my mind!
He told me that our perception of JC is based from the western world. Right he said, JC has blue eyes but a very tanned skin and tall.
He was discharged from the hospital and for 3 days was afraid to go to sleep because of the very celestial music reverberating in his mind that once he closed his eyes he wouldn’t want to wake up again. And then the first trial came after 3 days: his youngest child was bitten in the arm by his neighbor’s big dog. His initial reaction is to shoot the dog AND the neighbor! And as he staggered to get his shotgun, the apparition came: that of JC. He was stunned and stopped on his tracks and muttered: ‘Jesus, forgive me’
The following Sunday, while in church, his eldest had a convulsion. He immediately rushed outside to get his car but to his dismay a car was parked right behind his own whereas there was a big space for parking. He was shaking with anger and went back inside the church to get the owner of the car since he knew him. Upon entering, the priest coincidentally was raising the HOST and as if something cold was poured on him, he approached the owner of the car and politely requested him to remove the car. When they reached the hospital, he saw again the apparition – HE with the flowing robe. He followed and ran after Him but there’s no one. And there, he accepted whatever was asked of him to do.
In 1983, his mother had a stroke and was hospitalized for 3 months being diagnosed of no chance of recovery. In the course of his visits to the hospital, he saw her pain. He instinctively started massaging her arms to ‘wake the veins’. His mom told him that what he was doing was giving her tremendous relief. That made him the decision to continue the therapy at home. In less than 5 months, his mom was back to normal. Then he knew his ministry! His faith and belief in the Divine Force became stronger each passing day. At first he administers only to relatives and friends. And as more people came for the healing, he eventually resigned in 1990 to take up his full ministry. He had seminars held with the Department of Health, guest in the national television, numerous speeches and demos. His clientele included the rich and famous as well as those in the medical profession all over the country.
His biggest trial came in 1998. His wife was diagnosed with cervical cancer! And he felt helpless. He accompanied his wife to the hospital for chemo. He suffered her pain, too. In the hospital, he saw mostly women and the pain they endure. He begged the Divine Force. And in this trial, he re enforced his belief and trust in God, he took care of the healing of his wife. To this day, the effect of chemo is still manifested in Mrs. Rivera’s body, gradually thrown out of her system.
His Ministry: Nerve Theraphy
In Tagalog – ‘hilot’ or massage. ‘Hilot’ is the ancient Filipino Method of healing by touch and energy medicine. Massage affects the whole body. Underneath the skin is a layer of tissue containing nerves, arteries, veins, lymph vessels and varying amount of water and fat. It affects the muscles in many ways including removal of congestion, waste products in the tissues and reduces spasms and tones up the muscle tissue.
(Leviticus 17:11 for the life of a creature is in the blood)
His mantra: free flow of blood to the heart, right food, exercise
Then ailments/diseases would have no room inside the human body.
Fair enough. I will only narrate the benefits I obtained. The hundreds of thousands of patients (foreigners included) who benefited from his services will one day come out and also tell their stories. He once gave a French Psychic Surgeon Paul Boucard a relaxing hilot.
On the 18th of December 2010, after another round of discussions with the then reliever of POEA administrator Manalili, Ms. Banawis regarding the ‘new rules’ again to get the certificate, etc., etc. (another story to tell the world how POEA officials mandated to take charge of every OFWs welfare behave), I proceeded to meet up with the appointment with Engr. Rivera. He seemed to be in his fifties and has a very pleasant personality. His ‘clinic’ is right there in his garage just behind where his car is parked, now incorporated like a living room. A curtain covers the small area where a bed (very much like in a normal hospital with a standing fan). Since I was told beforehand that I have to bring along two towels one to cover the bed and the other one to cover me and a comfortable shorts, I was prepared for the treatment. His wife, also Mel as in Emelita, told me that I have to undress and put on the shorts. I was ready. My colleagues in Nigeria told me not to tell any ailment I have and so I was just quiet. Engr. Rivera came and started the treatment. He massaged my face with baby oil and told me that my left eye is weaker than the right one with the right ear also weaker (and these were so). Then he started massaging my arm all the while explaining.
‘You see massage need not be strong; just a slight pressure like this.( From the shoulder blades, it was already painful but I still kept quiet till it reached the nook of my elbow face up) This is also a connection to your heart (yeoooowwww—that was really painful) actually you have had a mild stroke. (So, that was it – I was driving home after office hours in late November. I felt a sharp pain running down my left arm and I couldn’t raise it. Luckily I was almost near our life camp and it passed) While he continued massaging – every movement of the massage should go towards the heart. Massage unclogs the veins thus giving a smooth flow to the heart (pressed my palms, yeoooowwww another gush of pain then I was asked to turn face down. Time for the legs. Pain and more pain) This part of the sole shows you’ve got bodyful of uric acid and this one (yeoooowwww kidney! All the while talking to get my mind away from the pain) ‘By the way Engr, when you had that near-death experience you saw 3 figures? The Holy Trinity?’ ‘No. People should remember this: whoever Deity you believe in and you follow the teachings whole-heartedly that is the one you will see. If you believe in Buddha and you adhere religiously to his teachings, then you will see him.’ So you actually believe in after-life? In Hell? ‘The Bible said there are ten Heavens in My house. It is the degree of your relationship with your Deity.’
The massage continued with more pain. The most amazing part is when he rubbed his palms together and then pressed at my back – very very warm! Three times, he did this silently. (When I reached home, I tried rubbing my palms after putting oil and no matter how hard I rubbed, it only resulted in very slight warmth) It took him some seconds before he replied when I asked him why and how it was done. ‘It is the Divine Force doing the healing. I am only an instrument.’
We had always relied on doctors and hospitals. We always take medications to ‘feel well’ not to get well. We maintain our illnesses – that is when we feel pain, we take medicine. Then it goes. It comes back, we take again.
My friends Fely, Aenid, Evelyn followed one after the other. Each one of us appeared glowing after the ‘hilot.’ Ha ha ha - who needs a facelift?
Our verdicts: we’ll definitely come back.
My last day of ‘hilot’ was on a Wednesday 19th of December. I met a lady patient whose leg was about to be amputated (gangrene) due to diabetes. She told me that it reached the stage when she has to take a jeep and all the passengers felt like vomiting. She has to take a taxi and begged the taxi driver just to take her in and she’ll double the fare. She went to Engr. Rivera and she is healed.
I felt a general physical well-being and a bonus of spiritual upliftment.
In the course of my sessions (5 times), I met different people from different strata in life. All are seeking to be healed.
But there will always be a question in one’s mind: why exchange a life of sure employment in consonance with one’s professional skills and commensurate salary and comfort and leisure it brings to a life devoted to healing people? There’s neither wealth nor fame there – only insults and skepticism - even after those medical doctors and very rich people who had been labeled by the hospitals as no hope of recovery had experienced for themselves the very positive end results. No other man will turn his back on the comfort that a fat salary/income would provide.
Why indeed? The answer IS very obvious – THY WILL BE DONE.
The catch: A very minimal fee of Five Hundred Pesos only if you call that a catch.
An appointment is absolutely needed because of the very hectic schedule he pursues.
For healing appointment, here’s the address:
Engineer Mel Rivera
176 San Antonio Valley 1
Paranaque City
(just 5 houses away from Paranaque City Hall)
Tel. No (02) 825-7666
Mobile No. 0915-2307630
