Filipinos affected by Hawaii wildfires unlikely to request repatriation

MANILA, Philippines — A large number of Filipinos may have been affected by the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, but they are not likely to request for repatriation, according to an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Cortes yesterday said that most of the Filipinos in Hawaii are permanent residents.

“In the case of our kababayans in the US, if they are green card holders, it is unlikely that they would return home for good. But those who are J-1 or non-immigrant visa holders… who are temporarily staying, we stand by our commitment to assist them or those who wish to be repatriated,” Cortes said at a briefing.

The Philippine consulate general in Honolulu recorded 50 Filipinos who are J-1 or non-immigrant visa holders in Hawaii and who are on an exchange visit.

Cortes said the 50 Filipinos are safe from the wildfires, the largest natural disaster in the history of Hawaii as a US state.

As of Monday, the death toll from the Maui wildfires rose to 99.

Cortes said that authorities are having difficulty identifying the remains of the victims.

The fire started on Tuesday last week when strong winds from a distant hurricane gusted across the island.

The flames spread quickly and engulfed the historic town of Lahaina without warning.