The remains of overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Wilma Abulad Tezcan, who died in the 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Turkiye, will be brought to the Philippines, the Philippine Embassy in Turkiye said on Saturday, Feb. 11.
The embassy said in a statement it is arranging the “immediate repatriation” of the body of Tezcan upon the request of her bereaved family.
Tezcan’s Turkish husband gave consent to her repatriation, but he has to decide yet on the “treatment of her human remains."
“As requested by the daughter and with consent of the husband, the Embassy is arranging the immediate repatriation of the body of Wilma Abulad Tezcan,” the statement read.
Tezcan is one of the two Filipinos who were earlier reported to be missing but were later confirmed dead following the powerful earthquake that killed 24,000 people.
READ: 2 Pinoys killed in magnitude-7.8 Turkiye quake
A native of Lucena, Quezon, she went to Turkiye’s Hatay province from Istanbul last month before the occurence of the deadly tremor.
According to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza, the embassy is "awaiting the decision of the family of the other casualty."
Daza said the embassy is also still verifying the reported cases of missing Filipinos in the quake-hit Turkiye.
"he Embassy's relief, rescue, and evacuation operation is ongoing. The Embassy team is continuing to reach out to as many Filipinos in affected areas to provide assistance and evacuation if requested," she said.
Turkiye and Syria were rocked by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday, Feb. 6, leaving thousands of people stuck in the debris of collapsed buildings.
The two major tremors and hundreds of aftershocks destroyed a reported 6,444 buildings across 10 provinces in Turkiye, which led to questions on the country’s building codes and infrastructure.