BY JOEL CALAMBA ESCOL, Managing Editor
A top-ranking government official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that there are a total of 308 affected Filipinos in Turkey and Syria.
DFA Usec Eduardo Jose de Vega told PTV4 that in Turkey, there were 248 affected Filipinos properly accounted for by the embassy, and they are being sheltered in Ankara.
De Vega also said in Syria there were only 60 Filipinos affected by the deadly quake and a team is going to be dispatched in said country to give them whatever support the Philippine Government can provide.
“There are about 248 dun sa affected areas. Dun sa 248 merong lagpas 70, mga 64 as of last night. Nais naming magpasalamt doon sa mga communities sa Ankara na tumulong sa kanila. Sini-shelter sila ngayon.
The DFA official said there were 2 Filipinos who have died and one of them was buried immediately in Turkey according to Islam tradition, as said Filipina was already married to a Turkish national.
The other casualty, Jullebe Ranara, was repatriated in the Philippines after her immediate families requested for her repatriation.
Other affected Filipinos who requested for repatriation, the DFA official added, need to acquire their Filipino citizenship because they were already married to Turkish nationals.
“Based on RA 9225, if they want to be repatriated, they need to re-acquire their Filipino citizenship,” DFA Undersecretary de Vega concluded.
