The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan diligently monitors the situation of Filipinos in the island nation, especially in areas hard-hit by the strong earthquake on April 3.
MECO chairman Silvestre Bello III visited Hualien County, the epicenter of the tremor, on Sunday and distributed relief packs and cash assistance to hundreds of Filipino workers economically dislocated by the tragedy.
“President Bongbong Marcos is very much concerned with your situation here and he has instructed us to extend all needed assistance to ease your condition,” Bello told his countrymen.
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake (7.3 and 7.4 in other reports) struck off the coast of the county in eastern Taiwan at 7:58 a.m.
The Focus Taiwan news outlet said that as of Sunday 8 a.m., there were 13 dead; 1,133 injured; and six missing.
Bello also met with county officials and thanked them for looking after the Filipinos.
“We are here to extend the sympathy of our President to the government and people of Hualien. We are also here to check the condition of our kababayan (compatriots),” he said.
MECO deputy resident representative Alice Visperas, Migrant Workers Office director Cesar Chavez and Welfare Officer Ruth Vivaldi joined Bello.
Hualien, the biggest county and a major tourist destination in Taiwan, hosts some 1,400 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Bello met with about 30 Filipino community group leaders who briefed him about their situation.
MECO had distributed T$150,000 (about P265,000) in assistance to the OFWs, Bello had also visited the four OFWs who sustained injuries and handed them T$10,000 each.
