12 March 2013—The humanitarian/consular teams from the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur have fanned out and are providing assistance to Filipinos in Lahad Datu and nearby areas.

Two embassy teams, with augmentation from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and other Philippine agencies, were dispatched to Lahad Datu and Semporna/Tawau, and arrived there on March 08 to check on the condition of and assist the members of the Filipino community in those areas.

On March 11 in Lahad Datu, a team led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jesus Yabes held meetings with Filipino community leaders and members in the area.

The team also distributed foodstuff and other relief provisions at the Cendarawasih Gym, one of four evacuation centers located in the FELDA Sahabat area, where more than 500 Filipinos are temporarily staying.

According to FELDA Human Resource Manager Sharifuddin bin Mohd Said, the Filipinos there, along with their Indonesian workers, are safe and under their care.

The team also visited a Badjau Laut village composed of 43 Filipino families staying in boats along the shoreline, together with officials of the Humana Borneo Child Aid Society, a non-governmental organization which provide alternative education to children of migrant families in Sabah. The team likewise provided food and other provisions to those present, as well as assured them of the Philippine Government’s assistance.

The Filipinos gladly received the team and were grateful for the assistance given to them. During the distribution of goods, the smiles on the faces of the Filipinos there manifested their gratefulness and their hope that the situation will soon be better.

Some members of the Embassy team later proceeded to Sandakan to check on the conditions of the Filipino community there.

Meanwhile, the Embassy team dispatched to Tawau established contact with a group of Filipinos working in a construction site. Those among the workers who manifested the desire to be repatriated home are being assisted by the team.

The team also reached out to members of the Filipino community in Semporna.

Some Filipinos that the teams met have expressed their desire to be repatriated to the Philippines, and asked the Philippine government’s assistance in being resettled in their hometowns and given livelihood aid.

Earlier, Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Jose Brilliantes were in Lahad Datu to launch the humanitarian mission.

Ambassador Malaya and Undersecretary Brilliantes met Malaysian Defense Minister Dato' Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein on March 04 and with Royal Malaysian Police Inspector General Tan Sri Ismail Omar on March 03, both in Lahad Datu, to ensure that consular and humanitarian assistance are reaching Filipinos in affected areas in the eastern coast of Sabah. END