The Philippine Embassy in Myanmar has dispatched a team to help search for four missing Filipinos in Mandalay, following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake.
According to Angelito Nayan, chargé d’affaires of the Philippine Embassy in Myanmar, the five-member team consists of a vice consul and a defense attaché.
The group is traveling by land, with the journey expected to take 15 hours before reaching the affected area.
They are also bringing supplies for Filipinos impacted by the earthquake in Mandalay.
The embassy official emphasized the importance of conducting ground assessments and ensuring the welfare of the Filipino community in quake-hit areas.
Nayan noted that over 170 Filipino teachers are in Mandalay, some of whom may have been unable to return home when the earthquake struck.
He also revealed that they learned about the missing Filipinos through area coordinators, who are fellow teachers based in Mandalay.
However, the embassy has yet to confirm the identities or names of the four unaccounted Filipinos.
“These individuals cannot yet be classified as missing or casualties since no official information has been provided,” Nayan stated. (Hindi rin aniya matatawag ang mga itong missing o casualties dahil wala pang impormasyong ibinibigay sa ngayon.)
As of now, Myanmar’s rescue teams have not released a list of victims from the deadly earthquake.
Out of the 171 registered Filipinos in Mandalay, 123 have been confirmed safe, 32 are still under verification, 12 are currently outside Myanmar, while four remain unaccounted for.