Search for missing Pinoy in Nepal continues—Embassy

NEW DELHI, India—The Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, India continues to coordinate closely with Nepalese authorities in the search for Filipino physician Dr. Juan Carlos Manalo, who remains missing following the devastating flash floods near the Nepal-China border last month.

In a press briefing here, Philippine Ambassador to India Josel Ignacio, said the Embassy and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Nepal, headed by Honorary Consul General Suraj Vaidya, are closely monitoring the ongoing search operations and are in direct contact with Nepalese authorities and responders.

“We express our sympathy again to the family of our kababayan, Dr. Manalo, who remains listed as missing in Nepal,” Ignacio said.

“Search and rescue operations for the missing in Nepal continue,” he added.

Ignacio said the Embassy is also assisting the family of Manalo in complying with the Nepalese government’s request for relatives of missing persons to provide DNA information that could help authorities in the identification process.

“We are in touch with the family, including the call from the Nepalese government for family members of the missing to provide DNA information. So we’re helping facilitate that,” Ignacio said.

“We’re ready to lend all support to the family,” he added.

Manalo, a 30-year-old physician from Tarlac City, was reportedly traveling with a pilgrimage group when massive flash flood and mudslide hit the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26. His family last communicated with him on August 25, and he has remained unaccounted for, along with thousands of others, since the disaster.