Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is now in stable condition after he fainted on Sunday morning during the Independence Day Flag Raising Ceremony at Rizal Park.
In a statement from the Department of National Defense (DND), Lorenzana is "currently in stable condition and has been advised to rest" after losing consciousness during the event.
DND spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said the secretary has just arrived in Singapore on Sunday morning after attending the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue and meeting with his foreign counterpart. Prior to this, he also went to South Korea and other parts of the Philippines to oversee the transition to a new administration.
"His hectic schedule during the last few weeks and the extreme temperatures in Luneta earlier today may have resulted in his fatigue," said Andolong.
Lorenzana later posted an update on his Facebook page, where he published an image flashing a thumbs-up as he sent a message that he was okay.
"I'm fine now. Just resting since the results of the tests conducted earlier are okay," he said on the post.
The DND secretary also cited his lack of rest from successive international security engagements as a reason for his collapsing.
"But as the saying goes, a true soldier always gets up quickly after a fall," he said.
"I'm deeply moved by your concern and well wishes. Thank you and God bless us all."
