The Philippine Embassy in Turkiye on Sunday, Feb. 12, said it has tapped search-and-rescue teams in Hatay City in looking for a Filipina and her children, who are all believed to still be under the rubble of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked the country’s southeastern region.
“The embassy has sought the assistance of search-and-rescue teams in Hatay City on the status of a missing Filipino and their children, feared to be still under rubble,” a statement from the embassy read.
“This has been confirmed by her husband and her sister-in-law, both Turkish nationals,” it added.
The embassy assured that its team continues to be present in Mersin, which is less than 100 kilometers to Adana and roughly 250 kilometers to Hatay, two of the most badly-hit provinces in southern Turkiye.
This, the embassy stressed, is “in order to respond immediately to the needs of Filipinos and their families.”
Meanwhile, the statement also expressed the embassy’s gratitude to the Filipino community there for continuing “to share their own resources and time to augment embassy efforts” as the number of Filipino families sheltered in Ankara continues to grow.
Appropriate medical assistance, including urgent hospitalization, will continue to be extended to those in need, the embassy added.
“We acknowledge that several intrepid Filipinos were able to escape danger on their own accord, through sheer will and the kindness of their Turkish friends and family. We reiterate that the doors of the embassy shelter are open for them,” it said.
READ: 53 Filipino families find shelter in Turkiye capital after 7.8-magnitude quake
The embassy also reported that the Philippine humanitarian contingent, through the direction of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), continues their invaluable work in Adiyaman province.
“The team has been assigned different tasks, such as conducting structure assessment on collapsed buildings to look for any signs of life and establishing a satellite field hospital to cater to patients and injured personnel,” it said.
As Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) plan to deploy personnel to Turkiye, the embassy welcomed the idea and said that the Philippines’ One Country Team Approach (OCTA) will be the first-ever joint interoperability exercise to provide migrant protection in times of crisis between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the newly established DMW.
“Their support will be invaluable in strengthening relief operations both in the field and at the shelter in Ankara,” the statement read.
Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena Algabre also thanked members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as the Indonesian Embassy, for assisting in the evacuation of three Filipinos in Hatay province.
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.
The death toll in Turkiye and Syria is approaching 30,000 as of press time.