There are now 64 Filipinos being sheltered in the Philippine Embassy in Ankara after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake and aftershocks that rocked Turkiye and Syria last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday, Feb. 13.
This figure was reported by Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza.
In a separate statement on Sunday, Feb. 12, the embassy reiterated “that the doors of the embassy shelter are open for them” and thanked the Filipino community there for sharing their own resources and time in augmenting the embassy’s efforts.
This came after the embassy said it has tapped the search-and-rescue teams to look for a Filipina and her children, who are all believed to still be under the rubble of their collapsed residential building.
Meanwhile, Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Niyazi Evren Akyol thanked the Philippine government and the Filipino people for sending people and resources to aid his country following the massive earthquake that has now killed over 36,000.
During a simple ceremony, House Speaker Martin Romualdez turned over $100,000 financial assistance for the Turkey earthquake victims from the Speaker’s Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Initiative.
READ: LOOK: House hands over humble donation for quake victims to Turkey envoy
“You know in an event like this, it’s very good to know you have your friends on your side,” Akyol said.
“And we have on the ground almost 10,400 rescue workers and of course the Philippines is one of the major contributors. On that note I would like to express my government and my personal heartfelt gratitude to President Marcos, Jr. for his leadership, for his swift instruction for Philippine authorities to get into action,” the ambassador added.
Turkiye and Syria were rocked by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake on Monday, Feb. 6, followed hours later by another huge temblor, leaving thousands of people stuck in the debris of collapsed buildings.
The two major tremors and hundreds of aftershocks destroyed thousands of buildings across 10 provinces in Turkiye, which led to questions on the country’s building codes and infrastructure.