DFA confirms second Filipino casualty in Myanmar 7.7 quake

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday confirmed the death of the second Filipino from the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar last month.

Almost two weeks after the powerful tremor, the DFA, through the Philippine Embassy in Yangon, was informed of the positive identification of the remains of a second confirmed Filipino victim.

“The family of the deceased Filipino has been informed. They have requested media to respect their privacy in this very difficult time,” the department said in a statement.

“Out of respect for the wishes of the family, the Department is unable to provide any further details,” it added.

The department said it continue to hope for the best for the remaining two Filipinos still unaccounted for in Mandalay, Myanmar.

On Wednesday, the department announced the first confirmed Filipino death from the powerful tremor that shook the Southeast Asian nation on 28 March.

The department withheld the name of the Filipino national, however, Alvin Aragon confirmed that the remains of his brother, Francis Aragon, a Myanmar-based teacher, had been found.

Aragon, 38, was one of the four missing OFWS who are working as teachers in Mandalay, Myanmar, which is near the Sagaing Region, the epicenter of the said earthquake.

The death toll from the March 28 earthquake has continued to climb. According to state media reports on Saturday, at least 3,354 people have been confirmed dead, 4,508 injured, and 220 others remain missing.

Phl joins rescue efforts

In response to the humanitarian crisis, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has deployed the Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) to assist in ongoing rescue and relief operations.

Photos released by the OCD on 6 April show Filipino personnel actively engaged in search, rescue, retrieval, and medical operations in coordination with teams from Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and Myanmar.

“The team is dedicated to addressing the urgent needs of those affected by the ongoing crisis,” the OCD said in a Facebook post.

The Philippine government continues to monitor the situation closely and is working with international and local partners to locate the missing Filipinos and provide aid to those affected by the disaster.