PHL mission visits Pinoys in 4 tsunami-hit cities in Japan

A Philippine consular mission reached out to Filipinos in four coastal cities in the Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures in Japan devastated by a magnitude-9 quake and a tsunami last March 11. The team met with Filipinos who were displaced and are now staying either at the different evacuation centers or at the homes of other Filipino-Japanese families. “The team distributed food and other basic necessities to the Filipino community members," the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. Cities visited by the team included Kessennuma, Ofunato, Rikuzentakata, and Kamaishi.
View Larger Map Headed by Consul General Sulpicio Confiado, the embassy team included Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ryan Pondoc, DFA-Office of the Secretary Principal Assistant Andre Peter Estanislao, Administrative Assistant Rose Apelo of the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Morioka and Filipino community leaders Maritess Azanuma and Cecille Nishimura. During the visit, the Filipinos recounted how they lost their homes, and how they survived the onslaught of the tsunami. “Although some expressed their desire to go home, most of them still prefer to stay in their respective communities," the DFA said. It added the team turned over the remaining futons and blankets to the main evacuation supply depot in Kamaishi. Earlier upon arrival in Morioka City, the Embassy team met with Philippine Honorary Consul Masahiro Murayama on Wednesday and discussed with him the condition of the Filipinos in Iwate, one of the hardest hit prefectures by the earthquake and tsunami. Presently, there are some 31 Filipinos from Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures who are staying at two temporary shelters. Of these, 16 Filipinos are at the Franciscan Chapel Center (FCC) under the care of the Catholic Tokyo International Center (CTIC), the Philippine Assistance Group (PAG) and the Philippine Missionaries-Japan, while the other 15 Filipinos are staying at the Tokyo Lighthouse Church in Kamata, Tokyo. The rest of the Filipinos relocated to Tokyo by the consular missions have either left for the Philippines or are now staying with families and friends in and around Tokyo. The Embassy and its partner organizations have served 154 Filipino nationals – 147 of whom have been fetched by the Embassy’s consular missions from various points of Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, while the other seven found their own way to the Embassy from Fukushima. Lopez said the Embassy will maintain its policy of fetching Filipinos in hard-hit areas if they need help or if they express their desires to be relocated to Tokyo. He said the Embassy will continue to intensify its efforts to locate and assist Filipinos in the affected areas, including bringing food and other supplies. Lopez met with Japan’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Yutaka Banno on Friday, the same day that the more than 10 metric tons of relief supplies from the Philippines arrived in Japan. The Philippine Ambassador likewise reiterated the country’s condolences to the Japanese government and people as they cope with the devastation and loss of lives caused by the quake and the tsunami. For his part, Banno extended his sympathies upon learning of the two confirmed Filipino casualties, and gave assurance that the Japanese government is supporting the Philippine Embassy in assisting Filipinos in the affected areas. (See: Pinay mother, daughter confirmed killed in Japan tsunami)—With Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMA News