But Embassy denies report of 10 Pinoys killed in Thailand
Four Filipinos, including a couple living in a collapsed residential building, remain unaccounted for in Myanmar following Friday’s powerful earthquake, an official from tthe Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Sunday.
“According to the latest data, four are unaccounted for,” DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said in a radio interview.
“”Two are husband and wife. Their residence was in a building that collapsed,” he said. The four missing Filipinos are all professionals, either working as teachers or office workers, the DFA official noted.
Meanwhile, the death toll in Myanmar from the earthquake has already exceeded 1,700 individuals and more than 3,000 injured, according to several reports. But the true scale of the disaster remains unclear in the isolated military-ruled state, and the toll is expected to rise significantly.
Anti-junta fighters in the country have declared a two-week partial ceasefire in quake-affected regions starting Sunday, the shadow “National Unity Government” said in a statement.
The UN said overnight that a severe lack of medical equipment is hindering Myanmar’s response to the quake, while aid agencies have warned that the country is unprepared to deal with a disaster of this magnitude.
In Thailand, 17 people were killed while rescue operations continued at a collapsed 33-story tower, where 47 people were missing or trapped under the rubble.
The Philippine government is preparing humanitarian aid, with the Office of Civil Defense coordinating efforts to support the victims.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed solidarity with Myanmar and pledged swift assistance, while Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa prepared three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams for deployment once international protocols are completed.
The teams have prior experience in aiding earthquake victims in Turkey.
De Vega disclosed that the Philippine Embassy in Myanmar has deployed a team to conduct “welfare checks” on all Filipinos residing in the country to determine the resources necessary to assist them.
“Myanmar is asking for help from other countries. Many died… Let us pray for our countrymen there,” de Vega added.
Just across the border, the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok belied reports that 10 Filipinos died in the magnitude 7.7 earthquake, calling them “false information.”
Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Paredes said in a radio interview that no Filipinos have thus far requested embassy assistance.
“As of this time, the Embassy has not received any report of Filipino nationals who were harmed by this unfortunate disaster,” the Embassy said in an advisory.
“The Embassy continues to monitor the situation for any Filipino nationals who may be affected and may need immediate assistance due to the earthquake,” it added, however.
For his part, De Vega urged Filipinos needing assistance to contact the Philippine Embassy in Thailand at hotline +66 81 989 7116 or the Philippine Embassy in Yangon at hotline +95 998 521 0991.
As this developed, House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed solidarity with the people of Myanmar and Thailand, following the devastating earthquake that claimed numerous lives and caused extensive destruction.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic events unfolding in Myanmar and Thailand. On behalf of the House of Representatives, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and those who continue to suffer in the aftermath,” he said on Sunday.
He also urged lawmakers to proactively engage in crafting legislation to strengthen disaster resilience and preparedness across the region, highlighting that cooperation in times of disaster is critical. With AFP
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “4 Filipinos in Myanmar still missing after quake—DFA”