3 Filipinos injured in Taiwan quake

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported that three Filipinos sustained minor injuries following the powerful magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Taiwan.

Hans Leo Cacdac, officer-in-charge of the DMW, said a Filipino suffered a minor head injury from a collapsing ceiling, another sustained a hand injury while evacuating, and the third fainted during the tremor.

Two of the injured Filipinos have been discharged from the hospital, while the one who fainted remains hospitalized.

The DMW official assured that the only injured Filipino still hospitalized is in stable condition.

"Pero stable siya, in good condition. Precautionary medical measures ang isinagawa sa kaniya, just to be sure,” Cadac said during an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(The patient remains stable and in good condition. Precautionary medical measures are being administered to ensure the patient's well-being.)

According to Cadac, the injured Filipinos will receive financial assistance from the government, which is actively coordinating with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taiwan to facilitate aid distribution.

So far, no Filipinos have requested repatriation assistance following the earthquake, according to Cadac.

Despite the significant Filipino population of 159,480 residing in Taiwan, with many working in factories and households, Cacdac noted no reports of structural damage in their living quarters.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Wednesday assured Filipino workers in Taiwan that the government is ready to help them after the recent earthquake.

“We stand ready to assist and support our fellow Filipinos in Taiwan in any way possible during this difficult period,” Marcos said.

At least nine people were killed and more than 1,000 were hurt by the powerful earthquake in Taiwan that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings as far as Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.

The earthquake was considered "the strongest in 25 years", according to Taipei's Seismology Center. — with a report from Agence France-Presse