Last Feb. 18, Monsignor Antonio Bustos celebrated his 50^th Sacerdotal Anniversary. His sister Dr. Monette Bustos Briones threw him a big party at Royce Hotel in Clarkfield Pampanga where they got music icons Hajji Alejandro and Gino Padilla to perform for their family and friends. 

Dr. Briones told Gossip Girl that the “Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala” (College Girls Heartthrob) was not in his usual element. “He still sang very well but I noticed low energy. According to his manager, he was not feeling well," the President and Medical Director of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hospital told me.  Little did she know that after his performance in Royce Hotel, Hajji would be rushed to Medical City and would be intubated. 

Hajji is an alumnus of San Beda. A fellow Bedan posted on Facebook, saying “Prayers to our fellow Bedan Hajji Alejandro who is now at the ICU at Medical City Philippines. He has stage 4 colon cancer. Prayers ascending. Hajji’s colon cancer metastasized to his liver and lungs. He is intubated. Nagkaroon po ng seizures kanina. The family decided not to accept visitors for now. We have to respect that. More prayers needed for him not to suffer.” 

Sharon Cuneta, Arnold Clavio, Aga Muhlach, Connie Sison and Dingdong Avanzado are just some celebrities who asked for prayers for the music icon on their social media account.

According to another reliable source, Hajji is no longer intubated and has been transferred to a private room with his mother by his side. But prayers are still requested because Hajji is facing the biggest battle of his life. The 70-year-old OPM icon gained fame in the 1970s and 1980s with his hits like “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika," “Panakip Butas” and “Nakapagtataka." During his peak years, he earned the moniker “Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala” (College Girls Heartthrob). The timeless singer married beauty queen and actress Rio Diaz, who succumbed to colorectal cancer last October 2004. They have a son named Ali Alejandro, a drummer for the band Delara. Hajji is also the father of singer Rachel Alejandro. I have been trying to reach Hajji’s longtime lifetime partner Alynna Velasquez, a recording artist and actress. Still, the family would like some privacy during this challenging time and no official statements have been released. 

My community, the Oasis of Love Manila, will continue to pray for your healing and recovery Hajji. You can fight this!