A Filipina and her three children remained missing and unaccounted for under the rubble of their home that collapsed during a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked southern Turkiye last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) revealed on Tuesday, Feb. 14.

Although the Filipina and her three children are most probably Turkish citizens already, DFA acting Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said the Philippines was still concerned about their welfare.

The Filipina is married to a Turkish national who was not home when the earthquake happened.

“Sa (In) Turkiye, bukod sa dalawang namatay meron pang isang pamilya, isang Pilipina (aside from the two dead, there is another family, a Filipina), married to Turkish, saka ‘yung 3 anak nila, hindi pa nahahanap (and their three kids, still missing),” he reported during the “Laging Handa” public briefing.

De Vega shared that the building where the family was living collapsed during the earthquake and they have yet to be rescued until now.

However, he also said that the authorities already told the Turkish husband to have “realistic expectations” because the Filipina and her three children have been missing for five or six days already.

“Mukhang Turkish citizen na sila. Ganun pa man, we hope mailigtas pa sila (It looks like they are already Turkish citizen. Still, we hope they can be rescued),” the DFA official added.

READ: ‘Missing’ Pinay found alive in Turkiye gets PH embassy aid

As the Turkish government continues to work on its search-and-rescue operations more than a week after the devastating earthquake, De Vega shared that some Filipinos are choosing to come home to the country.

While the official number of how many Filipinos prefer to be repatriated, the official assured that doing so won’t be complicated.

“Ang kailangan lang nila, kasi ‘yung iba (What they need, because the others are already) Turkish citizens na kailangan ire-acquire muna ang kanilang (is to re-acquire first their) citizenship ayon sa (according to) Republic Act 9225,” he explained.

“So, madali po iyan. Kung magagawa po natin (that’s easy. If we can do it in) the next few days makakauwi na (they can come home already),” De Vega added.

During the briefing, he also gave an updated on the number of Filipinos affected, as well as those who are in the shelter at the Philippine Embassy in Ankara, Turkiye.

He said some 248 Filipinos were in the affected areas, while around 64 Filipinos are already housed in Ankara.

The DFA official lamented the two Filipino casualties, both married to Turkish nationals, from the quake, sharing that one was buried there while the remains of the other will be repatriated.

READ: Remains of Pinoy casualty in Turkiye will be brought to PH

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.

De Vega said all Filipinos were accounted for in Syria, although they are also asking for aid.

The current death toll in Turkiye and Syria is now at 36,000.