A rescuer carries equipment as a team searches through the rubble of a destroyed building looking for survivors in Mandalay on March 29, 2025, a day after an earthquake struck central Myanmar. Sai Aung Main, AFP

MANILA — The Philippines has earmarked a $100,000 fund or about P5.7 million for Filipinos who were affected by the 7.7-magnitude quake that recently hit Myanmar, an official from the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. 

The standby fund may be used for cash assistance, shelter and plane tickets should Filipinos in Myanmar wish to return to the Philippines, DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega told reporters. 

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“Over $100,000 para sa mga gastos na kailangan ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.

“May mga Filipinong humihingi ng assistance hindi dahil nasaktan pero dahil baka kailangan lumipat ng lugar,” he added.

So far, at least 4 Filipinos have been reported missing after the quake destroyed buildings and transportation networks in the Southeast Asian country.

“Ang awa ng Diyos, hindi pa nadadagdagan 'yung number ng mga nawawalang Pilipino so we hope pa din for the best,” the DFA official said.

“Right now, ang problema pag nanghingi ng repatriation, hindi natin mauuwi kasi hindi umuubra yung airport nila doon. We have to pass them through Thailand,” he said.

The Philippines is also set to deploy a team to help in the search and rescue operations in the disaster that has been classified as a “top-level emergency.” 

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“Inaamin ng Myanmar na they do not have the means to recover people in the building,” De Vega said. 

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“We will send a contingent, mga doctor, experts, same thing sa pumunta sa Turkiye noon... We’re sure in the next few days, April 2 or 3 nandoon na sila. They are ready to be deployed today or tomorrow,” he said.

Meantime, the DFA called on Filipinos with relatives in Myanmar to get in touch with the agency via its Myanmar hotline +95 9985210991 or by sending messages to the “Overseas Filipino Help” page on Facebook.

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization announced that it is seeking $8 million to save lives and prevent disease outbreaks in quake-hit Myanmar over the next 30 days. 

The initial 7.7-magnitude quake struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay on Friday, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The quake has killed more than 1,700 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in neighboring Thailand.

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