Eleven Filipinos, and not 12 as earlier reported, remain missing in the magnitude-6.3 quake that killed 146 people in New Zealand last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs said. In an update posted on its website, the DFA said one Elisa Torres, who was earlier thought to be Filipino, was determined to be of another nationality. “Arrangements are underway to have the relatives of the 11 missing Filipinos to go to New Zealand to assist in the identification of the fatalities," the DFA said in a statement posted on its website. The DFA identified the 11 missing Filipinos as:
Jessie Lloyd Redoble John Kristoffer Chua Ezra Mae Medalle Emmabelle Anoba Jewel Francisco Ivy Jane Cabunilas Mary Louise Anne Amantillo Valquin Bensurto Rhea Mae Sumalpong Erica Nora Lalaine Agatep
The DFA said its Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs is coordinating with the New Zealand Embassy in Manila for the issuance of visas and other requirements for the relatives’ trip. Three weeks to identify The DFA also said it may take some three weeks before any fatality can be identified. “The remains of those recovered are transported to a military camp in Christchurch, where the identification and processing take three weeks," it said. On Saturday, the DFA-OUMWA and the Regional Consular Office (RCO) in Cebu conducted a telephone conference between Philippine Charge d'Affaires in Wellington Giovanni Palec and Cebu-based families of the five of the Filipinos believed trapped in the rubble of the Canterbury TV building. During the phone patch, Palec apprised the relatives on the latest updates from New Zealand police and other officials and the initiatives undertaken by his team. No survivor in CTV area “No person has been rescued alive since Wednesday last week," the DFA said. New Zealand authorities, however, would not release the identities of those who perished until they recovered the bodies and verified their identities through DNA testing. On the other hand, the DFA said Mr. and Mrs. Sumalpong and Mrs. Lourdes Redoble, parents of two missing Filipinos, arrived in Christchurch on Saturday. Police there have also yet to release a consolidated list of missing persons with their nationalities, despite repeated requests by New Zealanders and other families inquiring about the status of missing loved ones. The DFA said authorities are now on the recovery phase of their operations, including in the CTV area which has received intense international attention due to a large number of missing students, including Filipinos, Chinese, Japanese and Thai. PHL team A Philippine Embassy team arrived in Christchurch early morning of February 23 to coordinate efforts with authorities as well as look after the welfare of the 2,000-strong Filipinos in Christchurch. The Embassy team repeatedly asked and prodded rescue officials to continue with the search, given the text messages that were sent by a number of missing Filipinos immediately after the quake to their families. The team has actively assisted the Filipino community in Christchurch, distributing water purifying tablets and food provisions to them. It also encouraged the community to avail of counseling and victim support offered by the authorities. Meanwhile, the DFA-OUMWA requested the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to check if the 11 Filipinos are OWWA members for possible assistance. — KBK, GMA News 
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