Team to check Filipinos’ condition in Japan

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo Sunday sent a team to northeastern Japan to check on the condition of some 4,500 Filipinos based in the prefectures of Iwate, Fukushima and Miyagi that were hit hard by Friday’s earthquake.

In a report to the home office, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Manuel Lopez said the team, in a convoy that included representatives from Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei and Malaysia, would inquire if there were casualties among Filipinos in the area.

Lopez said that Filipinos in Tokyo, Osaka and the western regions of Japan were “relatively safe.”

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) announced it had set up free call services and is accepting inquiries on Filipinos working in Japan through its hotline: 5511560, 5516641, 8336992, and mobile number 0917-8986992. Jerry E. Esplanada and Jocelyn R. Uy