Marcos orders concerned agencies to extend aid following Myanmar quake

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. has directed all concerned government agencies to assist those affected by the impact of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar.

At a press briefing Monday, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said the President is monitoring the situation, particularly those of Filipinos who are affected by the powerful earthquake.

''Opo. Iyan po ay ipinag-utos po ng Pangulo sa ating mga agency na agaran po na tumulong sa ating mga kapitbahay na bansa,'' Castro responded when asked if the President is monitoring the situation.

(Yes. The President's directive to concerned agencies is immediate assistance to our neighboring countries [affected by the earthquake].)

Castro also said an inter-agency meeting was held to mobilize the resources in the affected areas.

''Nagkaroon po ng inter-agency meeting at sa pangunguna rin po ni Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. ay sinabi po na imo-mobilize na po ang mga resources para po agad tayong makatulong sa ating mga karatig-bansa,'' she said.

(An inter-agency meeting was held, led by Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., and it was discussed there the mobilization of resources so we could help other countries.) 

The death toll in Myanmar due to the March 28 earthquake has already reached more than 1,700, according to a Reuters report Monday.

Four Filipinos are still unaccounted for after the earthquake.

In a statement on Saturday, the Office of Civil Defense said that a critical inter-agency meeting was assembled to coordinate the Philippine response and deliver needed support for affected victims.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is already expecting repatriation requests from affected Filipinos, as some have lost their jobs due to the earthquake.

Repatriated Filipinos will undergo the government’s reintegration program in the Philippines.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said the Philippine government would account first those Filipinos in the earthquake-hit cities such as Mandalaya, Naypyidaw, and Yangon. — RSJ/AOL, GMA Integrated News