MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a Filipino has died from the wildfire in Maui, Hawaii.
Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega identified the victim as Alfredo Galinato, a 79-year-old native of Ilocos who was naturalized in the United States.
"The DFA confirms the death of a Filipino national in the Hawaii wildfires. He was a naturalized US citizen originally from Ilocos," De Vega said in a media release this Friday.
"The Philippine Consulate in Honolulu is assisting the family, who are all based in Hawaii," he added.
While Galinato was previously reported as one of the early fatalities of the sudden fire, his nationality had not been immediately confirmed as Filipino.
Galinato was a US-naturalized citizen but authorities had not found his data in the consulate's database, De Vega explained in an interview with Philstar.com.
His Facebook account also reveals that he hailed from Vigan, Ilocos Sur.
De Vega said the Philippine Consul General in Honolulu has extended assistance to around 66 Filipinos in Wailuku affected by the fires.
"The Consulate is providing assistance to the family with financial support... Our condolences go out to the bereaved family,” De Vega said.
The destructive wildfires in the Hawaiian island of Maui have left more than 1,000 missing. Many of the deceased are suspected to have perished while trapped in houses or vehicles while attempting to evacuate.
The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu said Filipinos affected by the wildfires may reach the consulate through its emergency hotline (+1 808 253 9466), email (honolulu.pcg@dfa.gov.ph), or Facebook page.
Around 25,000 Filipino-Americans live in in Maui, making up around 17% of the total population of the island. — with reports by James Relativo