Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita Catalla died of coronavirus in a Beirut hospital early on Thursday morning, the Foreign Ministry of the Philippines has reported.
Catalla was 62 and had worked for the foreign ministry for 27 years.
"With deep sadness, the Department of Foreign Affairs announces the untimely demise on 2 April 2020, of Ambassador Bernardita Catalla, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon, from complications arising from Covid-19," the ministry said in a statement.
“A career diplomat for 27 years, service to the country has been the hallmark of Ambassador Catalla’s distinguished foreign service career,” the ministry said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr said Catalla died at around 12:30am on Thursday morning in an unnamed Beirut hospital.
Beirut’s Rafic Hariri University Hospital is treating the bulk of the countries cases although other hospitals are making beds available.
She served in key posts as Consul General in Hong Kong, in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta and also as Passport Director “where she delivered frontline service to millions of Filipinos.”
Since December 2019, she led the voluntary mass repatriation program of the Philippine Embassy in Beirut as the economic crisis in the country forced hundreds of workers from their jobs largely in the service industry and as domestic helpers.
"Her ever-ready smile and infectious laughter may have been extinguished but her dedication to our country will always be there as a guiding light for all members of the Philippine foreign service," the ministry said.
Those in the Filipino community in Beirut were saddened by the news.
“She was very nice to me and to all Filipinos here, easy to approach and very down to earth,” said Father Henry Ponce, a Filipino Jesuit priest in Beirut who is – like many – confined to his home. “It's a big loss for us here in Lebanon, we have lost a very hardworking ambassador who immerses herself with the people.”
He said that she had always helped the church’s outreach to the Filipino community. "She has been supportive of my programs for the migrants, especially in the shelter for runaways,” he said. “She would attend my masses there with the wards of the shelter.”
UAE Ambassador Hamad Saeed Al Shamsi told The National that the embassy was “mourning our friend and colleague,” who he said, “worked tirelessly… and spent her life and time serving her country.”
“Her death represents a great loss for diplomacy, for her country and her people. We ask God for her mercy, and patience and solace for her family," he said.
Lebanon's Labour Minister Lamia Yammine said that Catalla’s death, “is a loss for Lebanon as well as for the Philippines.”
Wang Kejian, China's ambassador to Lebanon, expressed his shock at the news in a letter to the Filipino embassy shared with The National.
"It was a great shock to hear the very sad news of the passing away of HE Ambassador Bernardita Catalla today from complications arising from Covid-19. Please accept my sincerest condolences,” he wrote.
He described Catalla as “a brilliant and devoted diplomat,” and added that “it's hard to believe that she's not with us anymore”.
In a tweet, Mr Locsin said she would be honoured for her years of service.
"Ambassador Bernie Catalla's remains will be received with an honour guard and I am putting forward a nomination for Gawad Mabini and Sikatuna. Not that she needs more honour than the profound regret and mourning of a grateful service, government, and I hope nation," Mr Locsin said over Twitter.
Dodo Dulay, the Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns, described her passing as “a great loss”.
“Our nation owes you a debt of gratitude,” he said on Twitter.
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Coronavirus around the world
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Company%20profile
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Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMax%20Inferno%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20Mac%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TEAMS
EUROPE:
Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson
USA:
Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau ( 1 TBC)
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
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The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
Company%C2%A0profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
