Road cracks caused by an earthquake is seen in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan January 1, 2024, in this photo released by Kyodo. (Kyodo via REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families who may have been affected by the powerful earthquake in Japan were advised by Migrant Workers Officer-in-Charge Hans Cacdac to contact the agency’s help desk.
Cacdac made the appeal in a tweet on Monday hours after the magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck.
“For Overseas Filipino Workers and Overseas Filipino Workers’ families affected by the earthquake in Western Japan, we have a DMW-Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Japan Help Desk with Hotline 1348 (abroad +632 1348),” said Cacdac.
“Also, our DMW-MWO-OWWA Osaka Hotline Numbers: +81 7022756082 and + 81 7024474016,” he added.
The earthquake was recorded with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6. It struck the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture in Central Japan at about 4:10 p.m.
Meanwhile, in a text message to INQUIRER.net, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Eduardo de Vega said the Department of Foreign Affairs is still “awaiting reports from our Japan posts” if there are Filipinos affected by the earthquake.
De Vega said roughly 298,740 Filipinos are in Japan, including around 1,305 in Ishikawa Prefecture.