The English Premier League football season is just hours away from kick-off but fans are already facing a mini “off-the-pitch” crisis.

She was a woman of simplicity, honesty, and integrity. This was how most of her family and close friends remembered the late president Corazon Aquino.

Don’t be too surprised if you run into action superstar Jet Li and his equally glam wife Nina Li Chi along the aisle of your local NTUC supermarket, or see the likes of Chinese actress Gong Li while shopping along Orchard Road.

Far-fetched? Not quite.

More global celebrities are calling Singapore their home, with an increasing number of VVIPs taking on citizenship here in recent years.

People from all walks of life braved heavy rains and long lines just to get a glimpse of former President Corazon Aquino who passed away early Saturday after a year-long battle with colon cancer.

The Aquino family has opted for a private funeral for the late Corazon Aquino instead of a state funeral given to former presidents, according to Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.