The family of Lydia de Vega-Mercado is requesting for prayers for the track legend, who is in critical condition due to complications caused by her Stage 4 breast cancer condition.
In similar social media posts of daughter Stephanie and son-in-law David de Koenigswarter, the track legend's condition is worsening since her diagnosis in 2018.
"She was diagnosed with this in 2018 and has been silently fighting the disease for the past 4 years," the post read. "As the disease is progressing, her condition is quickly worsening despite undergoing many procedures including brain surgery."
"I am requesting everyone to please pray for her in this desperate time of need."
"If anyone would like to assist financially to cover her medical expenses, any donation would be deeply and whole-heartedly appreciated. maraming salamat po!"
During a courtesy call at Malacañang on Wednesday, July 20, Philippine Sports Commission officer-in-charge Guillermo Iroy said that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. had directed him to give necessary assistance for the many-time sprint champion.
"The President instructed me during the courtesy call when I briefed him to extend necessary assistance to Lydia," Iroy said.
Considered as Asia's fastest woman in her prime, de Vega won four Asian Athletics Championship gold medals and multiple Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games titles.
She was a two-time Olympian, having represented the country in the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics.