AN Ifugao native in Turkey has been rescued after three days buried under rubble following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last week.
The Philippine Embassy said that its Mersin-based team checked on the condition of 33-year old Juliva Benlingan, a native from Lagawe, Ifugao, who is now in an Adana hospital after sustaining multiple wounds on her face, head, and feet, as well as severe dehydration from days of burial.
According to her sister Maribel, Juliva endured 60 hours of burial under rubble prior to being rescued.
In its continuous evaluation on the ground, the Philippine Embassy said it is “focusing on management of its resources toward the welfare, recovery and return to normalcy of Filipino evacuees.”
Displaced Filipinos continue to arrive at the Ankara shelter, both through the efforts of the Embassy and their own volition.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), also on Tuesday, said it will repatriate the remains of one of the two Filipinas who died in the devastating Turkey quake. The other was already buried in Turkey as decided upon by her Turkish husband.
DFA Acting Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said the Philippine government will also repatriate other Filipino survivors who wish to return home. However, those who have become citizens of Turkey and are married to Turks must first re-obtain Philippine citizenship to qualify for repatriation.
De Vega noted that there are about 248 Filipinos who were affected by the earthquake, with 64 of them staying at a temporary shelter in the country’s capital Ankara.
On the other hand, 70 others sought financial assistance from the embassy, he said.
