Marcos monitoring situation of Pinoys in Hawaii following wildfires

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is monitoring the situation of Filipinos who were affected by the deadly wildfires in Maui, Hawaii.

Marcos ensured that the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Migrant Workers, has been determining the number of Filipinos possibly affected by the massive wildfires.

He also said the Consulate in Honolulu is ready to assist the Filipino victims.

“Kasalukuyang nakikipag-ugnayan din ang Philippine Consul General sa Hawaii sa mga lokal na awtoridad at Filipino community sa anumang bagong impormasyon patungkol sa insidente,” Marcos said in a press release issued by the Presidential Communications Office.

(The Philippine Consul General in Hawaii is coordinating with local authorities and the Filipino community to acquire the latest information about the incident.)

He urged affected Filipinos to seek assistance through the 24/7 emergency hotline +1808 253-9446 or through the government’s official e-mail address, honolulu.pcg@dfa.gov.ph.

The Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu had said it has been receiving an increased number of calls and emails inquiring about the status of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans missing following the wildfires.

The Consulate's priority is to obtain an accurate list of missing Filipino immigrants and Filipino-American dual citizens who have been reported missing.

Consul General Emilio Hernandez however on Monday said they understand that local authorities in Maui are currently focused on search and recovery and restoring normalcy in Lahaina.

The death toll in the incident already rose to 99. Search teams with cadaver dogs continue to scour the disaster area.

At least 50 Filipino teachers who are currently in Maui are being located by the Philippine Consulate, the DFA said Tuesday.

Search teams sifted through ashes as hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.

On Saturday, the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce said hundreds of Filipinos are among the more than 1,000 missing in the wildfires in Lahaina on Maui Island.

A Filipino-American family who survived thought they were going to die when they made their escape from the wildfires.

"Pagka-open pa lang ng pintuan namin, ramdam na namin yung init sa mukha," June Carlo Santos said in Jonathan Andal's report on "24 Oras Weekend" on Sunday.

(When we opened our door, we already felt the heat on our faces.)

"Pag-escape namin akala talaga katapusan na, mamamatay na kami...nasu-suffocate na po kami nung nag-e-escape kami," he added.

(As we escaped, we thought it would be the end for us and we would die. We were suffocating when we were escaping.)

Santos said that propane tanks from nearby houses were exploding as they went past. "Nakaka-trauma (We are traumatized)," he said.

Fortunately, Santos and his family made it out and are now staying at the hotel where he works. However, nothing is left of their home.

Survivors said there were no warnings raised to alert the community of the impending disaster.

One survivor, Annelise Cochran, decided jumping into the sea was her only choice, Agence France-Presse reported.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu is conducting a consular outreach mission in Maui on August 15 and 16 to provide passport and assistance-to-nationals services to Filipinos affected by the wildfires.

It will be held at the Office of the Maui Immigrant Services Division at 2200 Main St #547, Wailuku. —KG, GMA Integrated News