PRESIDENT Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. expressed sadness upon hearing the life and death condition of track and field legend Lydia de Vega-Mercado, a top-ranking sports official said on Thursday.

Lawyer Guillermo Iroy Jr., officer in charge of the Philippine Sports Commission, disclosed that the Chief Executive was disheartened to learn that the 57-year-old Hall of Famer, tagged as 'Asia's sprint queen' in the 1980s, is in 'critical condition' due to complications brought about the Stage 4 breast cancer and is 'quickly worsening.'