The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) still hopes that the four Filipinos missing in quake-hit Myanmar “will soon be found alive” despite the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.7 quake in the area.

“We really wanted our humanitarian contingent in Myanmar to be the ones to locate our kababayans, who are believed to be trapped in the rubble of the Sky Villa,” OCD administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, told reporters on Saturday.

Nepomuceno, however, noted the need for the Philippine contingent to adhere to the directives of Myanmar authorities and follow their operational plans.

He noted that the urban search and rescue teams from Myanmar, Vietnam, Russia, and China are currently assigned to the Sky Villa area.

Nepomuceno appealed for the public's prayers for the missing Filipinos in Myanmar.

“We ask for the public’s prayers for our missing kababayans. Please be assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs, the defense attaché in the area, the Department of Migrant Workers, and our rescue teams are working closely with Myanmar authorities to locate our countrymen,” he said.

“We also appreciate your prayers for the success of our humanitarian mission to alleviate the suffering in Myanmar,” he added.

During the disaster operations, Nepomuceno said members of the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent had recovered a deceased individual from the collapsed Jade City Hotel and Entertainment Complex in Nay Pyi Taw.

“The victim, identified as the head waiter of Jade City and already in a state of decomposition, has been turned over to Myanmar authorities,” he said.

The Philippines is prepared to send another humanitarian contingent to earthquake-stricken Myanmar once the current team returns.

““Should Myanmar require further assistance, we stand ready to deploy an additional humanitarian contingent to replace the first team, which is scheduled to return to the Philippines on 12 April,” Nepomuceno said.

“Filipinos in Myanmar who wish to repatriate can join our humanitarian contingent on their flight back home,” he added.