MECO Assures Safety of Pinoys in Quake-Hit Taiwan
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) on Sunday guaranteed that the Filipino community in Taiwan is safe after the country’s south was rattled by a powerful tremor on Saturday.
“As far as the Filipino community is concerned, everything is under control. Our people are looking after their needs,” MECO chairman Amadeo Perez told ANC’s “Dateline”.
Perez also said that only two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were reported injuredso far in the magnitude 6.4 earthquake that jolted Tainan city.
“I would advise relatives of the Filipino workers in the area not to worry because nothing serious has affected our workers. Order is being maintained there and workers are back to their dormitories,” he added.
Perez said most of the 130,000 Filipino expatriates in Taiwan reside far from Tianan’s Yongkang district where buildings toppled by the earthquake are concentrated.
The MECO chairman said they are willing to assist Filipinos who may want to terminate their employment contracts and go home. But he said no OFW has signified such intention yet.
Rescuers have saved over 100 people buried beneath the rubble of apartment blocks felled by the earthquake.
Taiwanese official said some 124 residents were still missing, with 103 of them trapped “very deep” in the rubble.
An investigation had been launched on the possible legal violations of the residential blocks.
– ANC, Dateline Philippines, January 31, 2016