PH offers sympathies with quake-hit Türkiye

by Joseph Pedrajas

The Philippines has expressed sympathies with Türkiye and its people following the devastating earthquake that struck one of its major cities and left dozens dead.

As of press time, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday it has not received any information that a Filipino citizen has been affected by a quake that hit Gaziantep on the Türkiye-Syria border. Filipinos in Hatay, Adana, and Mersin are also safe. 

Residents search for victims and survivors amidst the rubble of a building that collapsed, following an earthquake in the village of Azmarin, near the Turkish border in the north of Syria’s rebel-held northwestern Idlib province, early on February 6, 2023. At least 100 have been reportedly killed in north Syria after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that originated in Türkiye and was felt across neighboring countries. OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP

But DFA said the Philippine Embassy in Ankara will continue to reach out to the Filipino communities there. Based on statistics, there are around 4,006 Filipinos in Türkiye, mostly concentrated in Istanbul in the northwest.

“We wish for the speedy recovery of the wounded and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims,” DFA said as it expressed condolences to Türkiye and its people.

A total of 76 individuals were reported dead in the quake, according to Turkish officials, which expect the figures to rise.

Gaziantep, Kahramanmaraş, Hatay, Osmaniye, Adıyaman, Malatya, Şanlıurfa, Adana, Diyarbakır, and Kilis, are among the provinces that have suffered damages, officials added.

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“The Philippine Embassy is ready to assist Filipinos affected by the earthquake and may be reached via telephone and WhatsApp (+905345772344) and via email at ankara.pe@dfa.gov.ph,” DFA said.