as earlier reported missing are now safe, according to the Philippine Embassy in Wellington, even as 12 other Filipinos remain missing following the devastating earthquake that hit Christchurch in New Zealand on Monday.
The two were identified as Rita Estrella and Hayley Concepcion, according to a release posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Friday night.
The release did not say where the two are currently staying, but Filipinos in New Zealand who claimed to personally know the two have been sending messages to GMA News Online saying that Estrella and Concepcion are staying in Methven, located south of Christchurch.
To date, at least 12 persons are still believed to be trapped under the collapsed Canterbury Television (CTV) building, based on information from the DFA. The 12 were identified as:Jesse Lloyd Redoble John Christopher Chua Ezra Mae Medalle Emmabelle Anoba Jewel Francisco Ivy Jane Cabunilas Elisa Torres Mary Louise Anne Amantillo Valquin Bensurto Rhea Mae SumalpongThe DFA said its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) is coordinating with the families of the remaining 12 Filipinos to update them and request for passport information and other biometric information.
It added OUMWA is also requesting the Regional Consular Office in Cebu to coordinate with the families of Sumalpong, Anoba, Cabunilas and Chua, who are all reported to be from Cebu.
According to DFA, the team led by Charge d'Affaires Giovanni Palec is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), police and rescue teams.
Palec has also communicated with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, who vowed that MFAT will actively coordinate with them in providing assistance to the Filipino community.
“New Zealand authorities are cautious in releasing information about those who may have perished in the quake, as they will need to verify the identities of the remains thru DNA testing," the release noted.
It added that authorities are currently concentrated in searching for survivors and the bodies of those who died.
The remains will be moved to a military camp in Christchurch, where the identification and processing will start approximately three weeks from now, the DFA said.
Continued search, rescue ops urged
Meanwhile, in a separate release, Migrante Aotearoa, a Filipino migrants’ rights advocacy group based in New Zealand, urged the government to push for continued search and rescue operations for Filipino nurses and other possible victims.
According to Migrante Aotearoa, Christchurch is a main destination for highly skilled Filipinos like IT specialists, aeronautical engineers, telecommunications technicians, nurses and accountants.
Many Filipinos are also working as hospitality personnel (tourism-related workers) in the city, the group added, and they could be among those still trapped in other buildings apart from the nurses.
“It was premature for the Philippine Embassy in Wellington NZ to claim there was no Filipino casualty," the group said, referring to earlier pronouncements of the DFA that no Filipino casualties were reported.
“We urge the Philippine government to do its part to make sure Filipinos in Christchurch are all accounted for," Migrante Aotearoa added.
The group further scored the Embassy’s “slow" response to the crisis, as they insisted that relatives, colleagues and friends are unable to find information on the situation of affected Filipinos.
“We have not seen Philippine embassy officials in the affected communities and there is not even a hotline where the affected families can avail of information, get updates and seek support from Philippine authorities," Marty de Lima, Migrante Aotearoa coordinator in Christchurch, said in another statement.
“We believe [such a hotline] is crucial especially for those who lost homes and need immediate relocation," De Lima added.
The group also called on the government to ready measures to assist Filipinos who may lose their jobs and be forced to return to the Philippines, in the aftermath of the worst disaster to have hit New Zealand in decades.
Migrante Aotearoa meanwhile reiterated the request of Christchurch authorities against calling and texting in the area unless urgently needed, because of the congestion in telecommunication systems.
The group said it has been able to get news about affected Filipinos through the social networking site Facebook.—JV, GMA News
The two were identified as Rita Estrella and Hayley Concepcion, according to a release posted on the website of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Friday night.
The release did not say where the two are currently staying, but Filipinos in New Zealand who claimed to personally know the two have been sending messages to GMA News Online saying that Estrella and Concepcion are staying in Methven, located south of Christchurch.
To date, at least 12 persons are still believed to be trapped under the collapsed Canterbury Television (CTV) building, based on information from the DFA. The 12 were identified as:Jesse Lloyd Redoble John Christopher Chua Ezra Mae Medalle Emmabelle Anoba Jewel Francisco Ivy Jane Cabunilas Elisa Torres Mary Louise Anne Amantillo Valquin Bensurto Rhea Mae SumalpongThe DFA said its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs (OUMWA) is coordinating with the families of the remaining 12 Filipinos to update them and request for passport information and other biometric information.
It added OUMWA is also requesting the Regional Consular Office in Cebu to coordinate with the families of Sumalpong, Anoba, Cabunilas and Chua, who are all reported to be from Cebu.
According to DFA, the team led by Charge d'Affaires Giovanni Palec is coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), police and rescue teams.
Palec has also communicated with New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully, who vowed that MFAT will actively coordinate with them in providing assistance to the Filipino community.
“New Zealand authorities are cautious in releasing information about those who may have perished in the quake, as they will need to verify the identities of the remains thru DNA testing," the release noted.
It added that authorities are currently concentrated in searching for survivors and the bodies of those who died.
The remains will be moved to a military camp in Christchurch, where the identification and processing will start approximately three weeks from now, the DFA said.
Continued search, rescue ops urged
Meanwhile, in a separate release, Migrante Aotearoa, a Filipino migrants’ rights advocacy group based in New Zealand, urged the government to push for continued search and rescue operations for Filipino nurses and other possible victims.
According to Migrante Aotearoa, Christchurch is a main destination for highly skilled Filipinos like IT specialists, aeronautical engineers, telecommunications technicians, nurses and accountants.
Many Filipinos are also working as hospitality personnel (tourism-related workers) in the city, the group added, and they could be among those still trapped in other buildings apart from the nurses.
“It was premature for the Philippine Embassy in Wellington NZ to claim there was no Filipino casualty," the group said, referring to earlier pronouncements of the DFA that no Filipino casualties were reported.
“We urge the Philippine government to do its part to make sure Filipinos in Christchurch are all accounted for," Migrante Aotearoa added.
The group further scored the Embassy’s “slow" response to the crisis, as they insisted that relatives, colleagues and friends are unable to find information on the situation of affected Filipinos.
“We have not seen Philippine embassy officials in the affected communities and there is not even a hotline where the affected families can avail of information, get updates and seek support from Philippine authorities," Marty de Lima, Migrante Aotearoa coordinator in Christchurch, said in another statement.
“We believe [such a hotline] is crucial especially for those who lost homes and need immediate relocation," De Lima added.
The group also called on the government to ready measures to assist Filipinos who may lose their jobs and be forced to return to the Philippines, in the aftermath of the worst disaster to have hit New Zealand in decades.
Migrante Aotearoa meanwhile reiterated the request of Christchurch authorities against calling and texting in the area unless urgently needed, because of the congestion in telecommunication systems.
The group said it has been able to get news about affected Filipinos through the social networking site Facebook.—JV, GMA News
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