DFA, patuloy na nakikipag-ugnayan sa mga Pilipino sa Maui, Hawaii na apektado ng wildfire

Transcript

00:00 The coordination of the Department of Foreign Affairs continues with the Filipinos affected by the wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

00:08 DFA Assistant Secretary Paul Cortez, based in Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency,

00:16 has just started the search and rescue operation.

00:21 He is challenging the investigation into the number of people who died in the wildfires in 1999,

00:30 but no one has yet released the ethnicity of these people.

00:35 The chances of Filipinos being affected by wildfires are increasing,

00:40 but the chances of them being a Philippine passport holder are still low.

00:44 According to the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu,

00:47 there are 50 J-1 visa holders and Philippine passport holders who are temporarily staying in Hawaii

00:56 because of the exchange visitor program in America.

01:00 They are safe and will receive assistance from the government.

01:05 The Philippine government will provide assistance and financial assistance through our Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu.

01:15 Our fellow Filipinos are already U.S. citizens.

01:19 Of course, we are constrained to do some funding relative to them.

01:26 But since we are a very, very tight-knit community, we continue monitoring their situation.

01:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]