The Philippine Embassy in Turkey on Thursday, Feb. 9, began its mission of bringing aid to affected Filipinos by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria earlier this week.
Headed by Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena Algabre, the embassy promised not to lose hope as it begins its quest to reach out to Filipinos there.
“Mindful of current regulations implemented by the Turkish government, the Embassy has successfully begun its initial mission to the affected provinces in southeast Türkiye, in coordination with Turkish authorities,” the embassy said in a statement, a copy of which was coursed through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
“The Ambassador is personally leading the Embassy Team to meet with as many Filipinos as able and practicable, subject to the conditions of surrounding infrastructure and ongoing local operations,” it added.
Thankful that two injured Filipinos have been recovered, the embassy said that it “continuously receives a steady stream of confirmed and unconfirmed reports of Filipinos experiencing varying degrees of distress”.
“We are thankful that a number of our kababayan are safe and we will not give up hope for those that cannot yet be contacted. The Embassy will act swiftly and decisively for all confirmed reports,” the statement read.
READ: Filipinos reported missing in Türkiye earthquake aftermath; situation unknown
The team has already met with Filipinos from the cities of Adana and Iskenderun, the latter being one of the most devastated areas in Turkey’s Hatay Province.
They distributed relief goods, including food, blankets, water, and cash.
By working with the Filipino community, the embassy said it was able to send a team to rescue four Filipinos from Adana to the safer city of Mersin.
“We are continuing to utilize our invaluable network of Filipino community leaders from across the country to get in touch with those in need . . . We deeply appreciate the relief goods that continue to be provided through generosity of our Filipino brethren in Türkiye,” it added.
“The Embassy will continue to extend its utmost efforts to reach the 248 Filipinos in the affected regions, as listed in Embassy consular records. We recognize that this is a meticulous process that may require more than a few days. By working hand-in-hand, we hope to ensure that as many Filipinos as possible are accounted for,” the embassy assured.
Anyone with information about Filipinos affected by the earthquake can text or call +905345772344 via telephone and WhatsApp, or via email at [email protected], and Facebook at www.facebook.com/PHinTurkey.
Recent reports indicated that the death toll due to the massive earthquake had already surpassed 12,000.
The quake struck Turkey and Syria on Monday, Feb. 6, as freezing winter adds to the plight of the victims.