The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, March 31, said that Filipinos in Myanmar may request for repatriation after the massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake that rocked neighbors Myanmar and Thailand.

A local man drives a motorcycle past damaged buildings in the aftermath of an earthquake in Naypyitaw, Myanmar on Sunday, March 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega told GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita that they could activate its repatriation program because of employment issues in Myanmar after the quake.
 

“Sa Myanmar maaaring magkakaroon dahil may mga nawalan ng trabaho. Iniimbestigahan ng embassy para bigyan ng tugon ang kanilang request (We might have in Myanmar because a lot lost their jobs. The embassy is investigating so we can address their request),” he said, adding that the same thing happened in Turkiye in 2023.
 

“Katulad nang nangyari sa Turkiye noong 2023, kapag may gustong umuwi tutulungan natin (Like what happened in Turkiye in 2023, if someone wants to go home, we will help).”
 

De Vega, however, admitted that there are four Filipinos unaccounted for in Mandalay, Myanmar as they were in one of the buildings that collapsed.
 

“Dinaramdam ko mahirap pang mahanap… Kaya gagawin namin ang lahat nang magagawa para mahanap sila (I resent that it’s difficult to find [them]… So, we are doing everything we can to find them),” the DFA said.
 

He refused to confirm if there are any Filipino fatalities in the aftermath of the earthquake “kasi habang hindi pa nakukumpirmado hindi tayo pwedeng mawalan ng pag-asa (because we cannot lose hope until it’s confirmed).”
 

First, De Vega said the Philippine government must account for the Filipinos in the earthquake-hit cities Mandalay, Naypyidaw, and Yangon.
 

“Ipagdasal natin na mahanap pa sila (Let’s pray that we find them),” he added.
 

The DFA official also shared that the Philippines will send a contingent to help find the missing Filipinos, and the government is also ready with its assistance funds for those who lost employment and those needing shelter.
 

There are 150 Filipinos, mostly professionals, in Mandalay.
 

In Thailand, De Vega said no Filipino has been reported affected by the earthquake.
 

“Sa Thailand, walang reported na apektado. So, mabuting balita ‘yan (In Thailand, no one was reported affected. So, that’s good news),” he stressed.
 

The death toll in Myanmar rose to over 1,700, foreign media reported, as rescuers scramble to find missing persons amid the rubble of the 7.7-magnitude quake that toppled buildings and is considered as the biggest quake in the war-torn country in more than a century.