Kinumpirma ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang pagpanaw ngayong araw lamang ni Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita Catalla dahil sa mga kumplikasyon na dulot ng Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Si Ambassador Catalla, 62, na ipinanganak sa lungsod ng Makati ay 27 taon ng career diplomat.
Siya ay nagsilbi rin bilang Philippine diplomat sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at Jakarta sa Indonesia at naging passport director ng DFA.
Bago siya naging ambassador sa Lebanon, naging consul general din siya sa Hong Kon.
Siya rin ang nanguna sa mass repatriation program ng Philippine Embassy sa Beirut mula December 2019.
Labis naman ang panghihinayang ni DFA Sec. Teddy Locsin kaya isinusulong niya na gawaran ito ng highest award.
“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.”
Sa kanyang ring twitter account nagpaabot din nang mensahe si DFA Usec. Dodo Dulay.
“Today, @DFAPHL lost one of its own. PH Ambassador to Lebanon Bernardita “Bernie” Catalla, a frontliner in our repatriation efforts, died from Covid19 in a Beirut hospital. A great loss to @DFAPHL & to our country. Our nation owes you a debt of gratitude.”
