Inquiries on missing Pinoys, Fil-Ams in Maui, Hawaii wildfires rising —PH Consulate ---By DAVE LLAVANES JR.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu on Monday said it is receiving a rising number of calls and emails inquiring about the status of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans missing after wildfires caused devastation on Maui Island in Hawaii. "Queries received by the Consulate requesting assistance in locating missing individuals and family members have increased," Consul General Emilio Hernandez told GMA Integrated News. "We continue to be in touch with local authorities in this regard and advise those who send such queries to access the following links for more information: Per the ARC's advice, if one needs assistance locating a missing loved one due to the current disaster, they should call 1-800 RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) and select Option 4. Follow the voice prompts for 'Hawaii Wildfires.'" Up to this point, the Consulate is still facing challenges in obtaining an accurate list of missing Filipinos and Filipino-American individuals. The Consulate's priority is to obtain an accurate list of missing Filipino immigrants and Filipino-American dual citizens who have been reported missing. Fernandez however said they understand that local authorities in Maui are currently focused on search and recovery and restoring normalcy in Lahaina. "Government officials at the local, state, and even federal level are on the ground focusing on relief and recovery. We trust that they are doing their utmost best and fastest to address requests for assistance in locating missing persons and understand that the work at hand will not be easy due to the wide area that they need to cover (over 2,000 properties have been reported destroyed) and the time and processes to properly identify persons who are eventually found," Fernandez said. Fernandez also encouraged the relatives of missing Filipinos to provide DNA samples to expedite the process of identifying the deceased found at Ground Zero. “Local authorities requested submission of DNA samples in order to facilitate and expedite the identification of persons reported missing in the incident. DNA sample submission is encouraged, if possible," he said. On Sunday, the death toll due to the wildfires on Maui Island reached 96. The wildfires which started Tuesday last week destroyed much of the historic resort town of Lahaina. According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), there are 200,000 pure Filipinos living in Hawaii. Sixty percent of them are American citizens. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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