Filipinos in Turkey fear returning to homes after deadly earthquake --- By GMA Integrated News

Several Filipinos living in areas hit by the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey are afraid to return to their homes, some of which have been declared as danger zones. “Pahirapan kami makalabas papunta rito sa farm. Parang ghost town na 'yung banda doon sa bahay namin kasi medyo parang natakot na 'yung mga tao. Bumalik lang kami doon kumuha ng damit, pero 'di rin kami pinagtagal kasi danger zone na nga,” Madelyn, a Filipina resident in Turkey, said in Marisol Abdurahman’s “24 Oras” report on Tuesday. (It was difficult for us to get out here at the farm. It was like a ghost town in our house because the people were scared. We just went there to get some clothes, but we did not stay too long because it was already a danger zone.) Madelyn said her house which newly constructed in December was among those damaged by the quake. Another Filipino resident in Turkey, Meral Demirezen, shared that it was her first time to experience a powerful earthquake since living in the country 36 years ago. “Sobrang nagulo kami sobrang nagulo kami. Ibang klaseng earthquake to eh. Before, walang nangyaring ganito sa Turkey. Sabi nila na sister ng brother-in-law ko ay nasa under the debris wala daw signal, walang balita,” Demirezen said. (Our situation is very difficult. tThis earthquake is so powerful. Nothing like this happened in Turkey. My brother-in-law’s sister said they are under the debris, there is no signal, no news.) Ambassador Maria Elena Algabre said at least 248 Filipinos in Turkey were affected by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit the said country and Syria on Monday. Algabre said so far, there have been no reported Filipino casualties from the quake. According to the embassy, communication with Filipinos in Turkey was difficult as they continue to contact them in the 11 provinces affected by the earthquake. She said the embassy has been in touch with Filipinos staying in some shelters. “Yung may dalawa na takot sila, nakausap namin kahapon at the time we talked to them ang sabi nila nasa kotse sila. Yung iba naman, labas-masok sila sa building nila,” Algabre said. (We were able to talk with two, they are afraid. At the time we talked to them said they were in the car. The others said they go in and out of their building.) President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said an 85-man team would be deployed to Turkey to assist the victims of the earthquake. Marcos said he is in coordination with the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for the deployment of assets. “We have organized a group of about 85 personnel together with some goods. Ang hinahanap sa atin ay mga blanket, mga winter clothing dahil siyempre ‘yung mga nasiraan ng bahay sa Turkey ay wala na silang matirahan. They’re exposed so they need all of these things,” Marcos told reporters. (They are in need of blankets and winter clothing because many of them have lost their homes. They’re exposed so they need all of these things.) “So we are organizing it already and I already have the assurance also of the Turkish [Airlines] that they will be the ones to bring our people and our equipment and our goods to, I suppose, to Ankara first and then to be distributed properly in Turkey,” he added. A Reuters report said around 3,700 people were reported dead in Turkey and Syria due to the earthquake.—Richa Noriega/LDF, GMA Integrated News

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

UP Diliman Professors Share Scientists’ Procurement Struggles at Senate Hearing

By Harvey Sapigao Senate hearing of the revised procurement law (Photo credit: Senate of the Philippines) College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation. “This is a ₱150,000 component,” he described. “Isa lang gumagawa nito sa buong mundo, pero ang hirap pilitin sila na magregister sa PhilGEPS,” he continued, referring to the requirement that foreign companies must first register to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before they can sell products to local scientists. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water. “May budget tayo,” she said, “pero ang problema ko ay ‘yung resin na ito.” This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country. UPD leaders were invited to the Senate he
Read more

Gaza war rages into fourth month as Blinken tours Middle East Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, --- Agence France-Presse

The Israel-Hamas war raging in Gaza entered its fourth month on Sunday as the army again pounded the besieged Palestinian territory and US top diplomat Antony Blinken was back in the region seeking to avoid a wider escalation. Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 64 people in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, said its health ministry. It said two journalists were killed when their car was struck. The ministry, medics, and witnesses identified them as Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for Agence France-Presse, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza who earlier lost his wife and two other children in an Israeli strike. Israeli bombardment also claimed other civilian lives in the southern city of Khan Yunis and in the Rafah area near the Egyptian border, where many of the territory's displaced people have sought refuge, AFP correspondents reported. Relatives were mourning the dead at Khan Yunis' European Hospital, am
Read more