MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy in Turkey is arranging the immediate repatriation of the body of Wilma Abulad Tezcan after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in the country. But another Filipino casualty still needs some clearances before she can get home.
This was shared by the embassy on Saturday, as the death toll in Turkey and Syria nears 24,000.
"As requested by the daughter and with consent of the husband, the Embassy is arranging the immediate repatriation of the body of Wilma Abulad Tezcan, an [overseas Filipino worker] whose identity has been previously reported by the media," according to Philippine Embassy in Turkey.
"For our kababayan married to a Turkish national, her family in the Philippines is seeking consent from her husband, regarding the treatment of her human remains."
The two form part of the confirmed Filipino casualties in Antakya, while another missing Filipina was found alive in the rubble after the earthquake.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Maria Teresita Daza earlier said that 34 Filipino evacuees have been transferred to Ankara after the incident.
"The team succesfully evacuated four families from the city of Gaziantep, more than 200 kilometers from previous operations in Antakya, Hatay," according to the embassy following the ongoing relief, rescue and evacuation operations southeast of the country.
"Sprinter buses transported the distressed Filipinos roughly 700 kilometers for shelder in the Turkish capital of Ankara."
Filipinos who chose to stay were offered relief goods. However, some of those in Gaziantep suggested that the embassy give their share of relief goods to those who need it most.
Pinoys in Ankara, Istanbul and beyond continue on the other hand to pour in support for their fellow compatriots that have been successfully evacuated to the Turkish capital.
"The Embassy appreciates these offers of spontaneous assistance, such as toiletries, clothes and food, and will continue to mobilize all interested parties. Appropriate medical assistance has been extended to those in need," they continued.
"We encourage all our affected kababayan to continue reaching out to the Embassy and our Filipino coordinators."
Philippine Ambassador to Turkey Maria Elena Algabre, accompanied by the Consul General and the Defense and Armed Forces Attache, personally thanked the Philippine Inter-agency Humanitarian Contingent Team who traveled to Turkey during the crisis.
An 82-man team is currently deployed to the neighboring Adiyaman province to provide crucial search and rescue and emergency medical assistance.