Senator Christopher "Bong" Go urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) to quickly assist and secure Filipinos affected by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and parts of Thailand on March 28.
Go, a co-author of the law that created the DMW, stressed that protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during crises is an urgent priority. “We cannot rely only on information from other countries. We must act directly to ensure the safety of Filipinos,” he said.
DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega confirmed that four Filipinos in Myanmar are still missing, including a married couple whose building in Mandalay collapsed. The earthquake has killed more than 1,600 people in Myanmar.
The Philippine government has begun preparations for relief efforts, including placing three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams (PEMAT) on standby. Go called for a proactive government response and emphasized that the DMW’s role is crucial in times of crisis.
"We were able to push for the establishment of the DMW (Department of Migrant Workers) so there would be a department that addresses all the needs of Filipinos wherever they are in the world. They should no longer have difficulty asking for help from the government, especially in times of crisis and need," Go said.
Go urged Filipinos abroad, especially those affected by the quake, to contact Philippine embassies for assistance.
The earthquake, centered near Shwebo in Myanmar, caused widespread damage across central Myanmar and affected neighboring countries.