Close to 200 Filipinos have been victims of devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, California, and counting, the Philippine consulate general said.
According to a report by NewsWatch Plus, Consulate General Adelio Angelito Cruz said consulate staff are monitoring the situation of Filipinos in different evacuation centers.
“Sa ngayon, there are a total of 191 Filipinos that reached out to the consulate and we are slowly but surely reaching out as well, visiting different evacuation centers, finding out if there are Filipinos indeed there, and offering whatever assistance the consulate can extend,” said Cruz.
He said LA authorities and some groups are giving relief goods to the victims.
“Wala silang problema sa pagkain, wala silang problema sa mga gamit, pantulog, wala silang problema sa mga gamot. Dumadagsa ang mga tulong mula sa iba’t ibang parte ng California,” he added.
Most of the affected Filipinos are caregivers.
“Hinihingi nila ay sana matulungan sila makapag hanap ng iba’t ibang mga trabaho. Karamihan sa kanila kasi mga caregivers at mga live-in sila. So natupok ang mga bahay ng kanilang mga employers. Pati sila napilitang umalis at ngayon walang mga trabaho,” he added.
Cruz appealed to other fire victims who are hesitant to seek over immigration issues.
“Sa ating mga kababayan. We keep telling our kababayans, ‘Wala po kami pakialam sa status ninyo. Basta’t kayo ay Pilipino, nandun kami para tumulong sa inyo,’” he said.
The consulate said fire responders are racing against time to contain two blazes.
“We still have two big wildfires raging around LA County. We have what we call the Palisades Fire, and right now only 14% of the Palisades Fire has been contained. This is more than half the size of Quezon City. The other big raging fire is what we call the Eaton Fire, and only 33% has been contained. The Eaton Fire, for our viewers’ perspective, has consumed more than 5,700 hectares,” said Cruz.
“There have been about 12,000 properties destroyed. These are homes, apartment complexes, businesses, and other establishments,” he added.
