21 October 2005 – Chargé d’Affaires, a. i. (CDA) Abraham R. Estavillo of the Philippine Embassy in Seoul, Republic of Korea reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that three undocumented OFWs died on 20 October 2005 when fire broke out of the building they had been using as a residence in Tangju City, Kyonggi-do, South Korea.

CDA Estavillo identified the fatalities as OFWs Ricardo “MG Rimas” M. Sangco, Sr. of Alfonso, Cavite; McArthur “MG Art” P. Ramirez of Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Joey de la Cuesta whose address is yet to be determined.  They died in the fire that started at around 3:00 a.m.  Their remains were only found at 3:00 in the afternoon, according to CDA Estavillo.

Aside from the three fatalities, CDA Estavillo further reported that two other OFWs – Epifanio la Paz and Rodolfo Oxcineo – lived in the same residence building and survived the fire.

CDA Estavillo stated that the five OFWs worked as laborers for the Busong Yongshik Co. located at Kumcheon Danji in Tangju City.

The Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs (OUMWA), DFA and the Embassy in coordination with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Seoul already communicated with the next-of-kin of the OFW Sangco Sr. and is communicating with the relatives of the late OFWs Ramirez and de la Cuesta.

Pursuant to instructions from OUMWA, the Embassy is providing assistance to OFWs la Paz and Oxcineo, as well as facilitating the documentation for the speedy return of the remains of OFWs Sangco, Ramirez and de la Cuesta to the Philippines.  The Embassy is working to secure all the benefits due to the OFWs under South Korean law.END