Go: Assist Pinoy quake victims in Myanmar

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go on Sunday urged concerned agencies, particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), to act swiftly and exhaust all efforts to account for, assist, and secure Filipinos affected by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar and parts of Thailand on 28 March.

Go, one of the authors and co-sponsors of Republic Act 11641 that created the DMW, stressed that protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during crises must be a national priority.

"When there is a disaster in another country, we cannot just rely on information from there. We must take action ourselves, call, and assist if necessary. The lives of our fellow Filipinos are at stake," Go said, urging Philippine authorities to intensify coordination and response efforts.

According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega, four Filipinos in Myanmar have yet to be located.

Two of them, a married couple, were reportedly living in a residential building in Mandalay that collapsed during the earthquake. The other two are said to be professionals — teachers or office workers.

The earthquake, which has already claimed more than 1,600 lives in Myanmar, has triggered an international humanitarian response.

The Philippine government has started preparing relief and medical assistance, with the Office of Civil Defense holding an inter-agency meeting to discuss possible deployments.

Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has also placed three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams on standby.

But Go, known for his long-standing advocacy for OFWs, emphasized that government action must be swift and proactive.

"There should be a dedicated team whose job is to monitor and ensure the safety of every Filipino there. This is our obligation to every Filipino, no matter where they are in the world," he stressed.

Go reiterated that the creation of the DMW under the Duterte administration was specifically designed to address situations like this. Signed into law in December 2021, Republic Act 11641 consolidated all OFW-related services under one department to make assistance more efficient and targeted.

"We pushed for the creation of the DMW so that there would be a department dedicated to responding to the needs of Filipinos, wherever they may be in the world. They should no longer struggle to seek government assistance, especially in times of crisis and need," Go said.

"We consider OFWs as modern-day heroes. It is hard to be away from family to provide a better future for their children. That’s why we must ensure they feel our compassion and that they receive the services they need in times of crisis like this," he added.