3 FILIPINOS HURT IN TAIWAN QUAKE NOW SAFE —DMW
MANILA — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed that three overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan were hurt in the powerful earthquake that hit the island early Wednesday morning, April 3.
During a press briefing, DMW officer-in-charge Undersecretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the three OFWs sustained minor injuries and are now safe.
“There are three reported injuries, no fatalities, no major injuries to Filipinos, and we hope it stays that way,” Cacdac said.
He said two of them reside and work in Taoyuan, on the Taipei County side, while the other one is from Yilan County, which is adjacent to Hualien, where the earthquake epicenter was located.
He said one of the victims had a minor head injury when debris from the ceiling hit him, while a female OFW had swollen hands when they slammed into a door. Both were briefly hospitalized and discharged.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said the third victim fainted, probably from stress, but did not sustain any major injury.
He said the victim is still in the hospital for medical precautionary measures only, and expressed hope that she will soon be discharged.
Meanwhile, Cacdac said the three victims will receive action fund assistance, and psycho-social counseling if needed.
Psycho-social counseling is also available to all OFWs in Taiwan affected by the earthquake.
Cacdac said it was fortunate that the earthquake struck the central eastern side of Taiwan, far from the areas where most OFWs work and live.
However, he said around 5,000 Filipinos are in the area where the earthquake struck, with around 1,400 in Hualien County.
HesaidDMWisinclosecoordination with Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Chairperson Silvestre Bello III and his team, regarding assistance that will be provided to the OFWs.
On Wednesday, the DMW activated its 24/7 Taiwan Quake Help Desk for OFWs and their families.
The Philippine-based 24/7 Help Desk may be reached through hotline numbers 8522-3663 / 8376-6352 / 8426-0833 / 8293-9155 / 8252-1972; mobile numbers +63 919 067 3975, or via email at repat@dmw.gov.ph.
Taiwan hotline numbers are +886 932-218-057 in Taipei; +886 988-976596 in Kaohsiung; and +886 966-537732 in Taichung.
As of Wednesday, Cacdac said they have received calls asking about the situation of their relatives who are based in Taiwan.
Data from the Taiwan Ministry of Labor shows that as of February 2024, there are 159,480 Filipinos in Taiwan, 150,666 of whom are OFWs.
Meanwhile, two more of Quiboloy’s coaccused in child and sexual abuse cases surrendered to the NBI-Southeastern Mindanao yesterday morning.
Jackielyn Roy and Ingrid Canada, the co-accused who are both KOJC members, immediately posted bail at the Davao City Hall of Justice.
In total, Albao said five of Quiboloy’s co-accused were released from their custody after posting bail.
Four of them surrendered to the NBI, while Tamayong village chief Cresente Canada was arrested on Wednesday, April 3 at his residence.
“Because when they knew that they [already had] a warrant of arrest, they [didn’t] want to hide all the time while naka-pending itong kaso, so they turned to us,” Albao said.
According to the official, the last two to surrender said they did not know
Quiboloy’s whereabouts.
“Ang sabi nila ... hindi na nila nakikita at nakakausap [si Quiboloy] in the past few days,” the official said.
Ferdinand Topacio, Quiboloy’s lawyer, said they would exhaust all judicial remedies in relation to the pastor’s case, claiming that “some powerful individuals” were “hell-bent on persecuting” his client.
Quiboloy recently denied that he sexually abused female personal assistants or “pastorals,” saying the women made up the accusations because he rejected them. (ABS-CBN News)