Ipinahayag ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nitong Huwebes, ang pagpanaw ng embahador ng Pilipinas sa Lebanon na si Bernardita Catalla dahil sa komplikasyon sa COVID-19.

"With deep sadness, the Department of Foreign Affairs announces the untimely demise on 02 April 2020, of Ambassador Bernardita Catalla, Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon, from complications arising from Covid 19," saad sa pahayag ng DFA.

Nagsilbi umanong diplomat sa loob ng 27 taon si Catalla na naitalaga rin noon sa Kuala Lumpur at Jakarta, at naging Passport Director.

"Prior to her assignment in Lebanon, she was Consul General in Hong Kong, looking over the welfare of hundreds of thousands of overseas Filipinos. Since December 2019, she spearheaded the voluntary mass repatriation program of the Philippine Embassy in Beirut, sabi pa sa pahayag.

Kilala umano ang namayapang embahador sa pagiging matulungin.

"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," dagdag pa sa pahayag.

Sa ulat ng DFA nitong Miyerkules, sinabing 401 na ang Pinoy sa abroad na nahawahan ng COVID-19, 13 ang nasawi, 270 ang patuloy na ginagamot at 118 ang gumaling na. --FRJ, GMA News