Windows26: Ash Wednesday rite turns tragic: 1 dead

February 15, 2024

Welcome to the INQUIRER.net newsletter! In this edition, we bring you the latest updates on three crucial stories making headlines across the nation. Brace yourselves for riveting accounts that will keep you informed and engaged.

Ash Wednesday rite turns tragic: 1 dead

Churchgoers were queuing up for the ashing ceremony at the St. Peter the Apostle Parish here on Ash Wednesday, when the ritual descended into tragedy after a portion of the church balcony collapsed, leaving an 82-year-old woman dead and 55 others injured, local authorities said.

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Whang-Od, model gov't workers feted in Palace rites

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit on tattoo artist Maria "Whang-Od" Oggay, hailing her as a national treasure and "enabler of unity" who defied gender stereotypes to keep the skin art tradition of the Kalinga indigenous people alive.

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Landslide death toll at 85; tent city eyed for survivors

As of 7 p.m. on Wednesday, the death toll from the landslide had risen to 85, with the number of missing persons down to 38. Davao de Oro Gov. Dorothy Gonzaga said a tent city would be set up at Purok 2A, Tinago, Barangay Elizalde, to temporarily house survivors.

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