MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday logged an additional five Filipinos injured by the deadly explosions in Lebanon's capital last week.
This brings the running total of Filipinos who were caught in, and subsequently injured by, the Beirut blast to 47.
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"We are still thankful that the injuries sustained by our kababayans (countrymen) are not life-threatening. We also thank our Embassy personnel for taking prompt action," Undersecretary Sarah Arriola said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the fatality count among Filipinos caught in the explosions is unchanged at four.
"The DFA prepares to bring home this week the mortal remains of four Filipinos who perished in the blasts. The DFA chartered flight will also repatriate some 400 [overseas Filipino workers] eager to come home to be with their families," the agency's statement read.
Latest numbers show that at least 158 people were killed and 6,000 were injured after two explosions devastated Beirut's port on Tuesday.
According to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Menez, approximately 33,000 Filipinos are in Lebanon, 75% of whom are in the Greater Beirut area.
250 euros pledged for Lebanon
World leaders on Sunday pledged more than 250 million euros for disaster-struck Lebanon, conference host France said, with the emergency aid to be delivered "directly" to a population reeling from the deadly port blast in Beirut.
Fifteen government leaders including US President Donald Trump took part in the virtual conference hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and the UN, pledging solidarity with the Lebanese people and promising to muster "major resources" in the coming days and weeks.
A joint statement issued after the meeting in which representatives of nearly 30 countries as well as the EU and Arab League participated, did not mention a global amount.
But Macron's office said the total figure of "emergency aid pledged or that can be mobilised quickly" amounts to 252.7 million euros ($298 millon), including 30 million euros from France.
Macron was the first world leader to visit the former French colony after Tuesday's devastating explosion of a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate which killed more than 150 people, wounded some 6,000 and left an estimated 300,000 homeless.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told ZDF broadcaster that "more than 200 million euros of emergency aid have been collected," including 20 million euros from Germany. — Bella Perez-Rubio with AFP