MANILA, Philippines — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is now in stable condition after fainting due to fatigue caused by his hectic schedule and the temperature in Manila on Sunday.
Reports earlier showed Lorenzana being brought to an ambulance on a stretcher after he collapsed at the Independence Day flag-raising ceremony at the Rizal Park in Manila .
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"His hectic schedule during the last few weeks and the extreme temperatures in Luneta earlier today may have resulted in his fatigue,” defense department spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said in a statement.
Lorenzana had reportedly just arrived this morning from attending the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Prior to the Singapore trip, he also went to South Korea and had visited other parts of the Philippines.
Andolong said Lorenzana remained active in overseeing defense operations in the Philippines on top of his travels. He is also involved in the transition of the incoming administration.