Body of Pinay found in Turkey rubble; another rescued

MANILA, Philippines — A Filipina worker initially reported missing has been found dead in the rubble of the strong earthquake that hit Turkey last Monday, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said.

The OWWA yesterday said a still unverified report identified the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) as a certain Wilma, who was married to a Turkish national. Her body was pulled out from the rubble by rescuers Thursday.

The second Filipino earlier feared dead in Turkey was found alive, according to OWWA chief Arnell Ignacio.

“(The Filipino) has been found, recovered from the rubble and taken to the hospital,” Ignacio told The STAR in a telephone interview.

However, Ignacio declined to name the survivor who sustained serious injuries and is now confined at a hospital in Kuwait.

Earlier, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Hans Cacdac said that though there are OFWs now confined in different hospitals, they have not yet received any reports of deaths or critically injured.

At least two Filipinos in Turkey were injured and four others evacuated to a safer city as a result of Monday’s strong earthquake, the Philippine embassy in Ankara reported.

The embassy mission to affected regions has begun as it tries to reach 248 Filipinos working and living there.

“Mindful of current regulations implemented by the Turkish government, the embassy has successfully begun its initial mission to the affected provinces in southeast Turkiye, in coordination with Turkish authorities,” the Filipino mission said in a statement.

Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena Algabre was personally leading the team meeting Filipinos in earthquake-hit areas and receiving reports on those experiencing varying degrees of distress.

“These included two confirmed reports of injured Filipinos, who are now recovered,” the embassy said. “We are thankful that a number of our kababayans are safe and we will not give up hope for those that cannot yet be contacted.”

The team met with several Filipinos in the cities of Adana and Iskenderun, the latter being one of the most devastated areas in Hatay province.

“We are continuing to utilize our invaluable network of Filipino community leaders from across the country to get in touch with those in need, such as four Filipinos that the team evacuated from Adana to the safer city of Mersin,” the embassy added.

“We recognize that this is a meticulous process that may require more than a few days. By working hand-in hand, we hope to ensure that as many Filipinos as possible are accounted for,” it said. Repatriation of injured OFWs

In Manila, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Filipino workers injured in the monster earthquakes that rocked Turkey are set to be repatriated and reunited with their families.

Addressing the Laging Handa public briefing, Cacdac said the government is working on their repatriation upon the release of their medical clearance.

At present, the DMW is coordinating its repatriation efforts with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Cacdac said the DMW is closely monitoring the condition of 77 OFWs staying in the quake-affected areas where thousands are reported to have died.

Cacdac said the DMW has already set up a 24/7 command center to monitor them and that medical and welfare assistance are being provided to them.

The families of OFWs in Turkey who want information on their loved ones’ situation are advised to call the DMW Hotline at 1348 or send an email to [email protected].

They may also visit the Turkey help desk at the DMW office in Mandaluyong City, said Cacdac.

Philipipines rescue contingent in Turkey

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) confirmed that the Philippines’ 85-member search and rescue team to Turkey has arrived yesterday afternoon.??The Philippine Emergency Medical and Urban Search and Rescue Team (PEMUSRT) is a contingent composed of trained and experienced medical and rescue personnel from the army, Philippine Air Force, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Department of Health and the OCD.??The Filipino rescuers will join international emergency response teams in the gargantuan task of finding survivors in the rubble of quake-devastated areas.

Turkish Ambassador Niyazi Evren Akyol, his embassy staff, and officials of the Philippine Army were present at the send-off for the PEMUSRT contingent at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport close to midnight Wednesday.??The Philippine government is also considering sending a rescue team to quake-hit Syria, OCD spokesman Bernardo Alejandro IV told reporters yesterday.

“That is what we are evaluating now, with the DFA, of course,” Alejandro said. “We can either send another contingent or send donations or relief items.”??He said the decision has yet to be made, but confirmed: “We have already received, through DFA, a similar call from Syria.

As of yesterday, more than 11,000 people in Turkey and Syria have been reported killed in the magnitude 7.6 and magnitude 7.8 earthquakes that struck 12 hours apart in the same Turkish region last Monday.

The World Health Organization said fatalities could reach as high as 20,000 in the coming days.

In the initial report, many people have been left without shelter in freezing winter conditions, with humanitarian needs expected to grow in the coming days.

Akyol said 10 provinces with a total population of 13.5 million were affected by the earthquake, making the task for search and rescue teams enormous.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an declared on Tuesday a three-month state of emergency covering the country’s 10 southern provinces hit by devastating earthquakes, and called it a disaster zone in a move meant to bolster rescue efforts. –  Pia Lee-Brago, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Rudy Santos