Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was in stable condition after fainting during the Independence Day celebration at the Rizal Park in Manila on Sunday, officials said.
thumbs-up sign from his hospital after he fainted at the Independence Day rites (above) at Rizal Park in Manila on Sunday, June 12. DND photo/Danny Pata
Earlier, as the Philippines celebrated its 124th Independence Day, Lorenzana called on all Filipinos to cooperate with the country’s new leaders for a better future.
“In this period of transition, may we continue to work together with our new set of leaders to realize the hopes and dreams of our forefathers for our nation,” the outgoing Department of National Defense chief said in a statement Sunday.
In another statement, Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said Lorenzana’s fainting may have been caused by fatigue due to his “hectic schedule during the last few weeks and extreme temperatures in Luneta.”
Lorenzana, 73, had just arrived early Sunday morning from Singapore, where he attended the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue and met with his foreign counterparts.
“The Secretary also traveled recently to South Korea and other parts of the Philippines, while overseeing the defense operations of the country and transition to a new administration,” Andolong said.
The defense secretary has since been advised to rest, Department of Defense Executive Assistant Peter Paul Galvez said.
Lorenzana was among the members of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Cabinet who joined Sunday’s Independence Day rites at the Rizal Park.
Sunday’s ceremony was the last time Duterte attended as the country’s chief executive.
Lorenzana, borrowing a quote from Elias, a major character in Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, also said those who are blessed to experience freedom should not fail to remember those who have fought and fallen for it.
“In Dr. Jose Rizal’s seminal work, Noli me Tangere, the character Elias said, ‘I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land! You, who have it to see, welcome it—and forget not those who have fallen during the night!’,” he added.
Lorenzana also reminded the public that the “gift of independence bequeathed to us by our forefathers was wrought in their immeasurable sacrifice and unflagging hope for the future of the country.”
“As we look back at the road that led us to the freedom and democracy we enjoy today, we also set our sights on the work that remains to be done to achieve the brighter future our heroes dreamed for us,” he added.
In line with this year’s Independence Day celebration theme, “Kalayaan 2022: Pagsuong sa Hamon ng Panibagong Bukas (Rise Towards the Challenge of a New Beginning)”, Lorenzana also called on all Filipinos to embrace the changes coming in their way.
President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is set to take his oath as the country’s 17th chief executive on June 30 at the historical National Museum after his overwhelming victory in the May 9 presidential race.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. called on all police officers to continue serving the Filipino people well as the police force joined the nation in celebrating Independence Day.
“Let us continue to show to our countrymen the greatness of police officers as front-liners and keepers of the peace,” he added.
Danao called on all police personnel to continue providing efficiency and exemplary service.
“The bravery and greatness that we show every day serving our countrymen will bring honor to our agency which cannot be matched by any material thing. The trust and appreciation of our countrymen in their PNP is our biggest honor ever,” he added.