(Photo courtesy of OCD)
MANILA – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said there is no need for the Philippine contingent to extend their stay in quake-ravaged southern Türkiye.
"May one week pa sila before umuwi. (They still have a week before they return home) We don't see any need for them to extend," OCD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told reporters when sought for updates Thursday.
Alejandro said the contingent is doing well in its retrieval work and medical missions, where it has treated more than 250 patients as of this time.
Filipino rescue teams have so far recovered four bodies in their assigned area in Türkiye's southeastern city Adiyaman.
The Philippine team arrived in Istanbul last Feb. 9 and proceeded shortly afterward to its assigned area.
The Turkish government earlier said it will no longer accept a second contingent from the Philippines to help in ongoing operations following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that rocked southern parts of the country on Feb. 6.
This is because the so-called element of "life-saving time" has already lapsed.
However, it is accepting non-food items as donations for earthquake victims. (PNA)
