Philippine Embassy in Australia monitoring Pinoys amid bushfires

The Philippine Embassy in Canberra is closely monitoring the condition of Filipinos in Australia amid the ongoing bushfires in the world's sixth-largest country.

On Sunday, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ed Meñez told GMA News Online that, since January 1, there was no update yet if any Filipinos were affected by the disaster.

“Wala pa naman update after na may mga Pinoy na nagpapatulong or nag-report na affected sila,” Meñez said in a text message.

In a January 1 advisory, the Philippine Embassy in Canberra said they are closely monitoring bushfire emergencies in parts of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

“While the Embassy has not received reports of Filipinos suffering injuries due to the fires to date, it is closely monitoring developments and communicating with the various agencies and Filipino community leaders in Australia to ascertain the safety and welfare of our kababayans,” it said.

It also advised Filipinos to to follow instructions from their local authorities and to take all necessary precautions and recommended actions.

“Filipinos may also contact the relevant Philippine Consulate with jurisdiction over their area if they have any information on Filipinos requiring assistance,” it added.

Nearly 150 areas still burning in New South Wales, and dozens more were burning in Victoria on Sunday morning. —LBG/KG/KBK, GMA News