• 2 days ago
Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.

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Transcript
00:00We will get an update on the condition of our countrymen in Myanmar and Thailand. We will ask DFA, Undersecretary Eduardo Deveca.
00:09Josec Deveca, good morning.
00:11Good morning to all of you.
00:13How is the search for Filipinos in Myanmar?
00:16I feel that it's hard to find. I counted four, but hope is being eternal. We will do everything we can to find them.
00:32We don't want to confirm that someone died or what, because until it's confirmed, we don't have any hope.
00:43Is the coordination easy because Myanmar is under military junta?
00:50Yes. But the problem is, Myanmar doesn't have the equipment to search for people in the debris.
01:00That's why other countries are sending, even the Philippines, contingent to help.
01:06It's up to us to find them.
01:11In Bangkok, Thailand, what is the latest information of the Filipinos who were brought there?
01:16The good news is that there are no reported affected. That's a good news.
01:25Josec, are there people who want to go home and are asking for help?
01:32There are none in Thailand. It's possible that there are people who lost their jobs and the embassy is investigating to fulfill their request.
01:45Just like what happened in Turkey in 2023. If someone wants to go home, we will help them.
01:50You mentioned help. In that situation, what can the DFA do to help the affected Filipinos?
02:00The first help is to find the Filipinos who are missing.
02:04Now, those who need financial assistance, those who lost their jobs temporarily or need shelter, we have funds for them, ATM assistance funds.
02:21The Department of Migrant Welfare can help. They have an attaché in Bangkok nearby.
02:26When they go home, they will be given reintegration for their new job.
02:33But right now, what we need to do is to account for the Filipinos in Mandalay.
02:39There are three major cities, Yangon, Naypidaw, the capital of Naypidaw and Mandalay.
02:46In Mandalay, there are 150 Filipinos, professionals. So accounted for, four are missing.
02:53The problem is, they are in a building in a house in a condominium.
02:59But the government has a budget for financial assistance, even repatriation if they need to go home.
03:08The problem is, how can they go home? The airport is not open right now.
03:12So they will be driven to Bangkok, Thailand.
03:16Usec, we also asked for development for the Filipinos who rallied in Qatar.
03:22One of them was released. So there's hope that the other one will be released?
03:28There's hope. Our embassy is talking to them, to the police.
03:34We will provide legal counsel if necessary.
03:39I hope it won't reach there.
03:42So they don't have a case yet Usec?
03:44They don't have a case yet. They are still investigating.
03:46They are checking if they have a plan to disrupt Qatar or what, which they don't have.
03:52But again, our embassy is already planning for March 15.
03:56So it's clear that we don't want you to rally. The problem is, it's prohibited in Qatar.
04:07The truth is, the embassy is asking them to go home.
04:11We are not in the Philippines. We are in Qatar.
04:15We will go home as soon as possible. That's how it is.
04:19You have legal assistance.
04:21Yes.
04:22Aside from legal assistance, you have other assistance for the Filipinos in Qatar.
04:26But even though they don't have a case, they are in jail.
04:29They are not in jail. They are detained.
04:31Detained.
04:32I don't want to say they are in prison.
04:34They are in a police station, not in a prison.
04:40So their condition in the detention is okay?
04:43It's okay. But of course, no one wants to be in jail.
04:46So we will do what we can.
04:48Okay.
04:49Goodbye.
04:50Thank you. Take care.
04:52Goodbye.
04:53Deputy Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega.
05:02Goodbye.
05:03Goodbye.

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