The Filipino community in Ankara reported that a Filipina who had been thought to have died in the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that slammed Turkey and Syria is still alive.
A leader of the Filipino community in Turkey claimed that they had learned through the woman’s employer that a Filipina had perished in the earthquake.
According to Cherry Torres, president of the Pinoy in Ankara Community, she was later discovered alive.
“Kanina pong hapon, may lumabas po na balita na parang may na recover na pong isang Pinay,” she stated, “Isang kababayan po natin ang na-recover, napabalita pa nung una na cinonfirm po ng amo na patay na pero na-recover po siya, buhay po”
Torres said interactions with Filipinos in the impacted regions of Turkey are infrequent.
“Yung communication po hindi po madalas, kasi po nakiusap po ang gobyerno na wag muna masyadong tumawag sa mga affected areas gawa ng hindi po kayang supplyan ng telecommunication company,” she added.
She said they are now seeking cash donations for the affected Filipinos.
“Ang Turkish government po, siyempre po unahin po nila yung mga locals nila. So ngayon po yung ginagawa po naming donation drive, para po yun sa mga kababayan natin, and may mga natatanggap po kaming mga messages galing sa ibang bansa na gustong mag-cash donation. Yun na lang po sana hinihiling namin para po hindi na po kami mahirapan sa mga stuff, kasi ipapa-cargo pa po yun,” she explained.
“Kung cash donations po, makakabili po kami or ibibigay naming doon sa mga biktima yung cash para sila na lang po yung bibili ng mga pangangailangan nila,”
The death toll from the massive earthquake has risen above 11,200.
