Gov’t ensures safety of Filipinos in Australia amid bushfires

“We understand that about 300 Filipinos have been evacuated from that area,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing. (PCOO File Photo)

MANILA — The Philippine government is ensuring full protection of Filipinos in Australia after bushfires raged across the eastern part of the country in the past weeks, Malacañang said on Monday.

In an interview over ANC, Philippine Embassy in Canberra First Secretary and Consul General Aian Caringal said some 300 Filipinos have been evacuated from East Gippsland in Victoria, Australia because of the bushfires that rage in the area.

“We understand that about 300 Filipinos have been evacuated from that area,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

“Ginagawa ng ating pamahalaan ang mga hakbangin upang mapanatiling ligtas ang ating mga kababayan sa nagaganap na conflagration doon (Our government is taking steps to ensure that our citizens are safe from the conflagration there),” he added.

Caringal also assured that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is ready to repatriate Filipinos living and working in Australia if conditions worsen.

To date, the Philippine embassy has not received any reports requesting repatriation.

Data from the DFA showed that some 300,000 Filipinos are living and working in Australia.

He advised all Filipinos in the country to monitor the situation in their respective localities and to stay in close coordination with the embassy and local authorities.

In a Tweet on Monday, Foreign Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. lamented the “tragedy of continental proportions,” offering assistance to Australia to tackle the bushfires.

“Our hearts go out to Australians,” Locsin said in a Tweet.

Reports showed that some 24 people have been killed since the start of this year’s wildfire season, but none of them were Filipinos.

Thousands of people have been evacuated from coastal towns at the peak of the summer holiday season.

Australia has been battling wildfires across large swathes of its east coast for weeks, with the blazes scorching more than 5.25 million hectares of land and destroying almost 1,500 houses in one state alone.

Celebrities and Britain’s royal family stepped in to offer support for victims of the fires, helping to raise millions for firefighting services and wildlife shelters.