Category: Business Mirror

President Russell Marion Nelson, world-renowned heart surgeon and 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Church of Jesus Christ), passed away peacefully at his home in Salt Lake City on September 27. He was 101 years old, the oldest prophet in the history of the Church.

Born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Nelson was the second of four children of Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson. His early life was marked by a love of learning, music, and faith that shaped both his professional and spiritual journeys.

Medical career

President Nelson graduated at the top of his medical class at the University of Utah in 1947 and later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

He helped develop the heart-lung machine that made open-heart surgery possible and performed Utah’s first successful open-heart operation in 1955. Over the course of his career, he performed more than 7,000 surgical operations.

He served as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, as director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and as chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association.

He authored chapters in medical textbooks and numerous scholarly publications, gaining worldwide recognition for his skill and innovation.

Family

In 1945, he married Dantzel White in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised 10 children. After Sister Dantzel’s passing in 2005, he married Wendy L. Watson, a professor of marriage and family therapy, in April 2006.

Nelson is survived by Sister Wendy Nelson, eight of his children, 57 grandchildren, and more than 167 great-grandchildren.

Church service

Nelson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984, and served for more than three decades. On January 14, 2018, he was set apart as the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His presidency was marked by significant initiatives that reshaped the global Church.

He announced the construction of 200 new temples, emphasized the importance of the revealed name of the Church, reorganized priesthood quorums, and introduced changes to ministering, missionary, and youth programs.

He also modified temple recommend interview questions and addressed policies affecting families.

As prophet, he ministered across the globe, visiting 32 countries and US territories, and met with world leaders, including Pope Francis in 2019. In January 2016, then-Elder Russell M. Nelson made his final visit to the Philippines, ministering to thousands of Latter-day Saints in multiple cities across the country.

President Nelson has also built bridges with faith and civic organizations, notably partnering with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to advance initiatives in education, self-reliance, and community service.

Legacy

President Nelson will be remembered for his pioneering contributions to medicine and for his prophetic leadership, which invited millions worldwide to deepen their faith in Jesus Christ.

Funeral services will be announced by the Church in the coming days. A successor to President Nelson is not expected to be formally designated until after the funeral.

The Church in the Philippines

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown remarkably in the Philippines since its first presence in 1961. Today, nearly 1 million members worship in more than 1,300 congregations across the country. The Philippines is also home to 14 temples in various stages of operation, construction, or planning, making it one of the largest centers of the Church outside the United States.

Team Philippines received a strong send-off for the 3rd Asian Youth Games with an Anti-Doping Education Seminar hosted by the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO) recently at Diamond Hotel Manila.

Themed ‘Clean Sport, Bright Future: Building Filipino Champions with Integrity,’ the event encouraged athletes to embrace fair play and sportsmanship ahead of the Games in Bahrain from October 22 to 31.

Over 200 athletes, coaches, and officials attended in person and online.

Commissioner Olivia ‘Bong’ Coo of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) welcomed participants and emphasized integrity and discipline. PHI-NADO head Alejandro Pineda Jr. led the session on anti-doping basics, while Chef de Mission Ramon ‘Tats’ Suzara offered words of encouragement.

The seminar featured live demos of the doping control process by officers Nathan Vasquez and Alethea Laquindanum.

Dr. Marion Rivera explained WADA’s Prohibited List and Therapeutic Use Exemptions, followed by a lively question and answer. A panel discussion titled ‘The Athlete’s Code’ highlighted personal stories from Olympic swimmer Jessie Lacuna and jiu-jitsu world champion Meggie Ochoa, focusing on athlete rights and responsibilities.

Participants also joined interactive sessions on ‘Why Compete Clean?’ and pledged to uphold honesty, discipline, and integrity. The event ended with certificate distribution and closing remarks from Dr. Pineda, reaffirming PHI-NADO’s commitment to clean sport.

Team Philippines is now set to compete with integrity on the global stage. Play True. Play Clean. Play Fair.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson is stepping aside as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, after some colleagues aired their disappointment over the inquiry anomalous flood control projects.

He acknowledged the observations, but also cited ‘disruptions’ that gave the perception of unwieldy hearings, including his run-ins with his predecessor in the Blue Ribbon, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.

The two senators have been arguing over the handling of the Discaya couple, one of the biggest favored contractors for flood-control projects. At one point, Lacson asked Marcoleta, ‘why are you so protective of the Discayas?’

Meanwhile, Lacson – who noted that all Senate committee chairpersons including the Blue Ribbon are elected by fellow senators and thus serve at the pleasure of their peers – maintained on Sunday that this will not stop his continuing fight against corruption.

‘Since all chairpersons of the Senate committees are elected by our peers, I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues, particularly the members of the majority. Rightly or wrongly, when quite a number of them have expressed disappointment over how I’m handling the flood control project anomalies, I thought it’s time for me to step aside in favor of another member who they think can handle the committee better,’ Lacson said.

‘No amount of criticisms from misinformed netizens and partisan sectors can distract or pressure me from doing my job right, but when my own peers start expressing their group or individual sentiments, maybe it is best to vacate. Nevertheless, I will continue to fight a corrupt and rotten system in the misuse and abuse of public funds as I have consistently done in the course of my long years in public service,’ he added.

In a radio interview earlier Sunday, Lacson said he is preparing his resignation letter and may formally manifest it in plenary when the Senate resumes its session.

Lacson scored the fake news and false narratives that some sectors insisted on circulating – including one that says he is targeting some fellow senators while allegedly protecting members of the House of Representatives perceived to be the ‘masterminds’ of the flood control mess – including former Speaker Martin Romualdez and ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co.

‘If you ask me, I would say I handled the hearings well. But there are those trying to disrupt the hearings. In one instance, the hearing had barely started when someone tried to make a distraction,’ he said, apparently referring to Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who questioned Lacson’s impartiality as soon as a hearing began. Marcoleta was replaced as Blue Ribbon chief by Lacson after the Sept. 8 shakeup that saw Vicente Sotto III elected Senate President, ousting Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Such disruptions, Lacson said in Filipino, are partly ‘why there is a perception that the hearings were not handled well.’

FORMER NBA player Sam Vincent and WNBA All-Star Taj McWilliams-Franklin are in the Philippines as part of the US Department of State’s Sports Envoy Program.

Their visit promotes American basketball excellence and empowers young Filipino athletes and leaders.

Vincent won an NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 1986, while McWilliams-Franklin earned WNBA championships with Detroit Shock (2008) and Minnesota Lynx (2011). Both transitioned to coaching after their playing careers.

In partnership with the local government, the duo is leading basketball clinics and leadership seminars in Alaminos City. They’re sharing their coaching experience and teaching values like teamwork, dedication, and leadership.

‘Basketball has long been a shared passion between Americans and Filipinos,’ said US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Y. Robert Ewing. ‘Through this program, we celebrate that connection and empower youth through sport.’

Since 2005, the Sports Envoy Program has sent over 300 athletes across 24 sports to engage communities worldwide and strengthen international ties.

THE Philippines’ failure to strengthen basic education is weakening its workforce and dragging down its global competitiveness, according to industry experts who warned that poor literacy and numeracy at the earliest levels are feeding into the country’s widening talent gap.

In the 2025 IMD World Talent Report, the Philippines placed 64th out of 69 economies, lagging behind its Asean peers, which improved their rankings by investing heavily in education and training.

The report tracks how countries develop, attract and retain talent, and experts said the Philippines’ low standing is rooted in weak literacy and numeracy at the primary level.

Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Hanibal Camua said the poor performance was no surprise.

‘Related assessments will tell us that there’s really a problem.. We’re always at the bottom. That’s just in the education sector. When you’re looking at the World Talent Rankings and particularly talking about talent, what prepares our workforce is really our education and our training ecosystem,’ Camua said at a recent panel discussion.

In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tested 15-year-olds in 81 countries, the Philippines ranked near the bottom in all subjects-third lowest in science with an average score of 356, sixth lowest in mathematics with 355, and also sixth lowest in reading with 347.

These results showed little improvement from 2018, when the country scored 357 in science, 350 in mathematics, and 340 in reading.

A World Bank study also earlier found that as of 2021, nine out of 10 children were unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10.

Camua warned that this collapse in early learning is carried forward through the education system.

‘If we are not doing very well in basic education, then basically those who will proceed to senior high school and eventually to college will have low competencies. And it shows,’ he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) reported that while basic literacy among Filipinos aged 10 to 64 reached 90 percent last year, functional literacy-defined as the ability to comprehend and apply information-was only at 70.8 percent.

According to the PSA, this means that for every nine individuals in this age group who can read, write and compute, two still struggle with comprehension.

The gap between basic and functional literacy was also widest among those aged 60 to 64, where one in every three who could read and write had difficulty understanding what they read.

Skills gap felt in training and jobs

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has also seen the impact in its own programs, with many students entering training without the minimum skills needed to keep up.

‘Some of those graduating from basic education, even higher education, still do not know how to read and write. They cannot really comprehend well, and the numeracy facility is very low,’ said Tesda Executive Director El Cid Castillo, noting that this lack of foundational skills makes it difficult for many to qualify for or finish technical courses.

The lack of preparation has also spilled into the job market.

According to JobStreet by SEEK Managing Director Dannah Majarocon, some employers are struggling to match workers with vacancies.

‘This continued growth in job openings is not just an indicator of business growth but it’s also an indicator that there are jobs that are harder to fill because of the missing talent that we have,’ she said.

Majarocon added that the timing is critical, with younger cohorts now entering the workforce.

‘In the next two years or so, those who are currently 25 and under will be dominating the workspace. These are the very people we are saying we have an educational crisis,’ she said.

This generational shift, experts noted, highlights how deeply rooted the problem has become.

Camua stressed that the crisis cannot be pinned on a single administration, as decades of underinvestment have eroded the system.

‘It’s been a systemic negligence, I would say. It’s not attributable to this administration or the previous administration,’ he said.

He warned that unless reforms are carried out soon, the country’s so-called demographic dividend could turn into a liability.

‘Do not delay in solving the education crisis because the longer that we delay this, the more it becomes a liability,’ he added.

Falling behind ASEAN peers

THE Philippines, once regarded as a model for education in Southeast Asia, has been overtaken by its neighbors.

‘Malaysians and Indonesians would come here to study our education system. But the irony now is we are already left behind,’ Camua said.

Both Indonesia and Thailand have shown improvements in recent years, but the 2025 IMD results placed them ahead of the Philippines despite mixed movements.

Malaysia ranked 25th, climbing eight spots, while Indonesia slipped to 53rd but still remained well above the Philippines at 64th.

Thailand also kept its position in the middle of the pack (43rd), improving gradually in talent development indicators, where the Philippines has consistently lagged.

Panelists said this widening gap reflects years of underinvestment in literacy, numeracy, and functional reading, areas that must now be prioritized alongside higher per-student spending and stronger accountability mechanisms.

They added that the government cannot rely solely on companies to close the gap.

‘It’s a very, very practical viewpoint around it, but I feel like the cycle around relying on the private sector or businesses to actually upscale and reskill employees just because that need is so very urgent is absolutely unsustainable,’ Majarocon said.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has teamed up with e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines to expand the digital presence of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by the agency.

The partnership, formalized on Wednesday through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, seeks to bring more DOST-supported businesses into online marketplaces by integrating the agency’s MSMEs oneSTORE initiative with Lazada’s platform.

It also aims to provide MSMEs with access to the platform’s logistics, marketing, and payment systems to strengthen their market reach and competitiveness.

‘This collaboration is especially significant because MSMEs make up more than 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines and provide over 60 percent of employment,’ Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said during the signing ceremony.

He said expanding their digital footprint could help small firms keep pace with changing consumer trends and market demands.

Under the agreement, participating MSMEs will undergo training through Lazada University, which offers modules on digital marketing, supply chain management, customer engagement, and online selling.

The two parties will also co-develop targeted campaigns promoting DOST-assisted products and innovation-driven enterprises.

Lazada Philippines government affairs head John Kenneth Estiller said the collaboration is designed to help MSMEs scale up their operations and improve their competitiveness both in local and global markets.

The partnership builds on DOST’s ongoing efforts to support small enterprises through technology-based programs, such as the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program; Community Empowerment through Science and Technology; and the Science for Change Program.

From 2022 to 2024, thousands of MSMEs and local governments have benefited from these initiatives, according to the agency.

Data from the latest Global Innovation Index showed that the Philippines currently ranks third among lower-middle-income economies in innovation performance.

The De La Salle Philippines has begun developing a 24.4-hectare botanical garden that will cultivate rare and native plant species to support research on habitat restoration and ecological rehabilitation.

Through its Lasallian Institute for the Environment (LIFE), the La Salle Botanical Gardens (LSBG), located within AyalaLand’s Alviera estate in Porac, is envisioned as a living laboratory where scientists can study how disturbed landscapes recover and regenerate over time.

Esperanza Maribel Agoo, a botanist and biology professor at De La Salle University, told the BusinessMirror the project will prioritize species endemic to Central Luzon’s biogeographical zone.

‘We’re focusing on native species with rare and threatened status,’ Agoo said. ‘Among the rarest plants on earth can be found here-cycads, or ‘pitogo,’ local bamboo species, ferns, and some herbs and legumes that help fertilize the soil.’

‘These species will help us demonstrate habitat restoration in areas disturbed by lahar, floods and typhoons,’ she added.

Porac, one of the hardest-hit towns during the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption, was buried under repeated lahar flows that reshaped its terrain and river systems. The botanical garden seeks to transform these scarred areas into models for ecological recovery.

The LSBG forms part of La Salle Philippines’ broader environmental program on biodiversity conservation, ecological education, and science-based land management.

Agoo said the first phase of planting would include around 100 species of trees, palms, ferns and soil-stabilizing plants suited for regeneration.

An earlier inventory recorded at least 45 tree species, which can be expanded through nursery propagation.

‘We’re selecting plants that naturally occur here,’ Agoo added. ‘It’s not just about conservation, but showing the natural process of recovery.’

To understand how flora and fauna interact in recovering ecosystems, researchers will also monitor wildlife activity.

Ronaldo Lagat, a herpetologist and faculty member at De La Salle Dasmariñas, said the approach is designed to recreate a functioning ecological system where plants coexist with animals.

‘We’re not just planting trees, we’re creating a system,’ Lagat told the BusinessMirror.

‘Animals like birds and bats help disperse seeds, while insects serve as pollinators. A quarter of the site will be left untouched so we can observe natural succession, how a disturbed area heals itself,’ he explained.

Data collected from the site will guide future rehabilitation programs and policymaking, providing evidence on which species to prioritize or avoid in reforestation efforts, he said.

‘With the right data, we can identify which plants thrive and which ones may become invasive,’ he said. ‘This information will help make rehabilitation more effective.’

The Philippines is home to hundreds of threatened native species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The LSBG was first conceptualized in 2016 and formally planned following a land donation in 2018. Its master plan, developed with landscape architects from the United Kingdom and the Philippines, was followed by fundraising and nursery propagation during the pandemic.

What began as a sideline for couple Lucille and Eugenio Dalida in Singapore has now grown into a thriving local enterprise in Capiz.

Drawing from a family with more than 30 years of dried fish tradition, the pair started producing gourmet ‘tuyo’ (dried fish) in olive oil for the Filipino community abroad, until they turned the venture into a full-time business.

They have now expanded into dried fish variants and snacks-such as sweet dilis, squid rings and shrimp chips.

‘With these machines, we can already produce around 800 to 1,000 bottles of tuyo in a day,’ Eugene said. ‘For the snacks, we can also make about the same, around 1,000 daily. Before, we could only manage about 200 at most.’

Stories like this are what the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) hopes to multiply as it ramps up assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said the agency has already extended nearly P900 million worth of support to MSMEs, adding that the program’s expansion aims to help firms scale up and sustain growth.

‘We’re close to P1 billion funding for our MSMEs,’ Solidum told reporters during a visit to the couple’s home-based factory in Roxas City.

The event was part of the 2025 Regional Science and Technology Week hosted by DOST VI (DOST Western Visayas) at a mall in Roxas City from September 10 to 12.

‘Of course, if we can help more, we can increase a little bit. What we really want is to create more impact. If they are small and they want to grow into medium, we can still support them,’ he added.

Regional directors, he noted, are now authorized to approve up to P5 million in funding assistance, with larger requests endorsed to the central office. The aid covers not only production but also measures that reduce operating costs, such as investing in solar power.

According to the Science chief, the forecast for MSME participation is promising, citing repayment rates of 85 percent to 90 percent.

‘It means they are able to pay back the interest-free assistance, and they graduate,’ Solidum said.

Scientific help to MSMEs

INNOVATION initiatives such as technology transfer training, laboratory services and funding are some of the ways the DOST has broadened its support to enterprises, the agency said.

According to Solidum, for the first half of 2025 alone, 9,000 firms were assisted, creating 4,000 jobs and receiving P249 million in funding.

‘We are still catching up in the second half, but if we look at job creation, it was close to 10,000 jobs last year. Hopefully, we can match that,’ he said.

To allow more entrepreneurs to benefit, the Science department has removed the cap on assistance.

‘Before, MSMEs had a limit of only two chances to get help. Now it is unlimited, as long as they continue to grow and create employment,’ he added.

The requirement for firms to be at least three years in operation is also being reconsidered, with plans to reduce it to two years to expand the coverage.

Data provided by the DOST to BusinessMirror showed how its programs have supported MSMEs from 2022 to 2024.

The DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP)- the agency in charge of providing assistance to MSMES to adopt technology and innovation-has reached 21,920 firms and other science and technology (S and T) entities nationwide.

The National Capital Region (NCR) recorded the highest number of assisted firms with 4,059, while 29,131 jobs were created across the country, led by Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon Region (Calabarzon) with 5,013.

Funding under the program has totaled P2.57 billion, with NCR receiving the largest share at P333 million.

In terms of projects, 3,379 were implemented nationwide, with Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), accounting for the most at 1,086.

On the other hand, the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology program (CEST), has also targeted poor and marginalized areas by introducing science-based livelihood opportunities, health and nutrition services, and environmental management practices.

It has assisted 2,018 communities nationwide, led by Central Luzon with 814.

The initiative generated 4,739 jobs, most of which were in NCR with 1,373. Investments reached P1.03 billion, with Central Luzon cornering the biggest share at P248.7 million.

DOST has likewise established 51 Innovation Hubs (iHUBs), as platforms where startups, researchers, and innovators can collaborate, access mentorship, and build prototypes. Region XI (Davao Region) hosts the largest number with eight hubs.

The Science department also runs the Innovation, Science and Technology for Accelerating Regional Technology-Based Development program (iSTART), which helps local government units (LGUs) integrate STI into their agenda.

So far, 88 LGUs have enrolled, with Caraga in Mindanao leading at 17. The program has resulted in 50 technology-based enterprises, most of them in Region I (Ilocos Region) with 23, and the formulation of 62 STI-driven policies, again led by Caraga with 17.

Moreover, the Science for Change Program (S4CP) has been piloted in 111 LGUs, with Western Visayas hosting the most at 17 investments have totaled P333 million, the largest share of which went to Region II (Cagayan Valley) at P104.6 million.

For overseas workers, the iFWD PH program has trained 708 OFWs, the highest number in NCR with 111.

A total of 176 were provided with technical and consultancy services, led by Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan region (Mimaropa) with 54, while 124 received funding, including 45 from Mimaropa.

Meanwhile, the OneLab network, which provides standardized testing and calibration services to industries and MSMEs, has conducted 61,081 services and assisted 104,197 firms nationwide.

Mimaropa posted the highest number of OneLab services at 158,904 and served the most firms at 40,550.

The network now links 336 laboratories locally and abroad, with Mimaropa hosting 147 of them.

Challenges

HOWEVER, according to DOST Western Visayas (Region VI) Director Rowen Gelonga, the Science department, particularly the regional office, faces the challenge of sustaining its programs, a difficulty exacerbated by limited public resources.

‘The number one challenge is that we have limited research and development [R and D] funds, but that has been partly addressed,’ Gelonga said in the same event on Thursday.

For 2026, the Science agency is set to receive P30.4 billion budget, an increase from its 2025 budget of P28.46 billion. A large portion, P8.9 billion, will go to the Grants-in-Aid program to fund projects under the Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda.

Meanwhile, the department’s R and D institutes will get P3.9 billion for work in various sectors like manufacturing, energy, and food. (See related story: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2025/08/15/dost-to-use-bigger-2026-budget-for-rd-commercialization/)

Gelonga added that ensuring the use of technologies generated by research institutions is another hurdle, as some policy-makers still struggle to fully appreciate and apply scientific knowledge.

‘But we have seen that many local chief executives are already embracing science-based policy formulation,’ he noted.

Tapping the aid

TO qualify for DOST support, enterprises must be duly registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and paying taxes, a requirement Solidum said ensures government to recoup its investment through compliance rather than interest payments.

Applications are coursed through provincial or regional science and technology offices, where staff can help firms refine proposals and identify the type of assistance needed.

Solidum is encouraging interested entrepreneurs to take the initiative.

‘Talk to us if you have an idea or a business that needs productivity improvement or expansion. That is the major role of DOST, because if it is only for promotion, that falls under DTI,’ he said.

He added that regional standards and testing laboratories are also available to evaluate products and help businesses secure licenses to operate from the Food and Drug Administration.

‘What is good about this is that we provide assistance. If our DOST staff cannot handle it, we engage experts who can,’ he said.

A 2-year-old girl chosen as Nepal’s new living goddess was carried by family members from their home in a Kathmandu alley to a temple palace Tuesday during the country’s longest and most significant Hindu festival.

Aryatara Shakya, at 2 years and 8 months, was chosen as the new Kumari, or ‘virgin goddess,’ replacing the incumbent, who is considered by tradition to become a mere mortal upon reaching puberty.

Kumaris are chosen from the Shakya clans of the Newar community, indigenous to the Kathmandu valley, and revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the predominantly Hindu nation.

The girls are selected between the ages of 2 and 4 and are required to have unblemished skin, hair, eyes and teeth. They should not be afraid of the dark.

During the Indra Jatra festival earlier in September, the former Kumari was wheeled around on a chariot pulled by devotees. The Kumari always wears red, pins up her hair in topknots and has a ‘third eye’ painted on their forehead.

The weeklong Indra Jatra festival was the first of a series of celebrations in October including Dashain, the main festival, and Tihar or Diwali, the festival of lights.

Tuesday marked the eighth day of Dashain, a 15-day celebration of the victory of good over evil. Offices and schools were closed as people celebrated with their families.

Family, friends and devotees paraded the new Kumari through the streets of Kathmandu before entering the temple palace, which will be her home for several years.

Devotees lined up to touch the girls’ feet with their foreheads, the highest sign of respect among Hindus in the Himalayan nation, and offered her flowers and money. The new Kumari was scheduled to bless devotees, including the president, last Thursday.

‘She was just my daughter yesterday, but today she is a goddess,’ her father Ananta Shakya said, adding that there were already signs she would be the goddess before her birth.

‘My wife during pregnancy dreamed that she was a goddess and we knew she was going to be someone very special,’ he said.

The former Kumari Trishna Shakya, now aged 11 years old, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters. She became the living goddess in 2017.

Families of the Shakya clan who qualify for the prestigious seat compete to have their daughters selected. The family of the Kumari gains an elevated position in society and within their own clan.

But Kumaris live a sequestered life. They have few selected playmates and are allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals.

Former Kumaris face difficulties adjusting to normal life, learning to do chores and attending regular schools.

Nepalese folklore says men who marry a former Kumari will die young, which has resulted in many of the girls remaining unmarried.

Over the past few years, there have been many changes in tradition and the Kumari is now allowed to receive an education from private tutors inside the temple palace and even have a television set.

The government also offers retired Kumaris a small monthly pension of about $110, which is slightly above the minimum wage fixed by the government.

Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condolences to victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Tuesday night, newly installed Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy said on Thursday.

Uy said he received the message through Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown.

‘The Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Charles John Brown, called me to convey the Holy Father’s heartfelt sympathies for all the survivors of the earthquake, and his prayers for the eternal repose of the victims,’ Uy said.

He added that the pope assured the faithful of his spiritual closeness as communities grieve and begin recovery efforts.

The death toll from the quake has risen to 72, while 294 were injured, according to the report released by authorities as of October 3.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also reported that a total of 170,959 people have been affected, and 20,000 people remain displaced as of Thursday.

It also said that at least 53 cities and municipalities have been placed under a state of calamity.

Several churches were damaged, prompting the Archdiocese of Cebu to suspend their use until structural assessments are completed.

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, built in 1886, partially collapsed.

In an advisory, the archdiocese directed parishes in hard-hit areas to refrain from celebrating Mass inside the churches until engineers declare the buildings safe.

It also ordered inspections of all churches and rectories in the archdiocese.

‘Refrain from using your churches until the proper experts have carried out the assessment and declared the structures safe for use,’ it added.

However, despite the strong tremors from the magnitude 5.1 aftershock early in the morning on October 3, a 6 a.m. Mass was held at Kapilya de Sta. Rosa de Lima, said the shrine’s Facebook post.

On October 1, the shrine posted a photo with the caption saying the images of Santa Rosa de Lima and St. Martin de Porres at the ‘safety of the parish convent.’

A separate photo showed the ‘unscathed’ retablo image of Santa Rosa de Lima image wrapped in unused plastic bag for protection from heavy rains and dust.

‘Other than the tabernacle where the Blessed Sacrament is kept, the miraculous retablo image of Santa Rosa de Lima was one of the few images in the shine that wasn’t damaged by the earthquake! The other unscathed images so far is the Virgen del Carmen, and the Immaculate Conception,’ the Facebook post said.

An earlier BusinessMirror report said that in Bantayan portions of the façade of the 1863 Parroquia de San Pedro Apostol also gave way during the tremor.

In his homily for the Feast of the Guardian Angels on October 2, Uy urged the faithful to embody the mission of the angels by helping those in need.

‘In these difficult days.we are invited to show the spirit of the angels by sharing whatever we can-food, clothing, shelter, prayers, and even our time,’ said Uy, who was installed just early in the day on September 30 when the magnitude 6.9 earthquake occurred in the late evening.

‘Every act of generosity becomes a way of guarding, guiding, and comforting others.’ he said.

Uy added that to be an angel for someone is ‘to protect the weak, to accompany the lonely, and to give hope to those who have lost much.’

‘This is the best way to honor our guardian angels: by imitating their mission of love,’ he said.

On Wednesday, the archbishop visited several parishes severely affected by the earthquake and offered prayers at the Daanbantayan District Hospital for the injured.

On October 1, the morning after the powerful earthquake, Uy extended his condolences to families who lost loved ones in the tremor that struck northern Cebu.

‘My condolences to all who lost their loved ones because of the earthquake. May the Lord grant you strength and hope,’ Uy said in a statement.

He called on communities to remain united in prayer and mutual support as they recover from the disaster.

‘In times of hardship, let us all unite in prayer and mutual help,’ he said.

The quake struck at 9:59 p.m. on September 30, with the epicenter about 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the tremor had a shallow depth of 5 kilometers, making it widely felt across the Visayas, as well as parts of Mindanao and the Bicol region.

The Cebu archdiocese urged the faithful to place their trust in God during this period of uncertainty.

‘We continue to pray to our Loving Father for calmness and strength in the midst of these trials. We entrust ourselves, our families, and our communities into His merciful hands. May the Lord shelter us under His wings, protect us from every harm, and guide us to safety and peace,’ it said.