Gov’t can send teams to Myanmar, Thailand in quake’s aftermath – DFA

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Earthquake victims lie on the ground of the compound of a hospital in Naypyidaw on March 28, 2025 after an earthquake in central Myanmar. A powerful earthquake rocked central Myanmar on March 28, buckling roads in capital Naypyidaw, damaging buildings and forcing people to flee into the streets in neighboring Thailand. (Photo by Sai Aung MAIN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is ready to send help to Filipinos affected by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand on Friday.

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega made the statement.

“Handa ang ating pamahalaan at kung may Pilipinong nawala o nasira man yung bahay man nya o wala nang matirhan, tutulungan muna natin hanggang sa umayos yung sitwasyon niya,” he said in an in an interview with DZBB on Saturday.

(The government is ready and if there are Filipinos who lost their homes, we will help them until their situation becomes better.)

De Vega noted that based on the reports of the Philippine Embassies in Thailand and Myanmar last night, no Filipinos were reportedly hurt from the earthquake.

He added that the two embassies did not sustain any damage.

READ: No reports of Filipinos hurt in Thailand, Myanmar quakes

“Kung may gustong umuwi dito, tutulungan din natin,” De Vega said.

(If anyone wants to come home here, we will also help them.)

He also encouraged Filipinos in the two countries and their families here in the Philippines to reach out to the embassies if they need assistance.

Below are the embassies’ contact details:

• Philippine Embassy in Thailand: Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) hotline +66819897116 or email at bangkok.pe@dfa.gov.ph
• Philippine Embassy in Myanmar: ATN hotline +959985210991 or the official Philippine Embassy in Myanmar Facebook Messenger

READ: Myanmar’s earthquake death toll reaches nearly 700

The DFA official also said the Philippines expresses its condolences to the quake victims in the two countries.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday said three Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Teams are ready to be deployed in the calamity areas.

The groups will be deployed once international coordination protocols are complete and a request is received.

“We are continuously in touch with the Office of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for further instructions as the Philippines coordinates with its earthquake stricken ASEAN [Association of Southeast Nations] neighbors,” Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a statement.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake jolted northwest of Sagaing City in Myanmar.

It was followed by an aftershock measured at magnitude 6.4 in the same area after a few minutes.

The tremors damaged buildings, and trapped bridges.

Many people were also reportedly trapped inside buildings.