PH Consulate in Hawaii sends team to Maui amid wildfires: DFA

Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Residents push a kart amid the ruins left by a wildfire that swept through the city up to the shore and port in Lahaina, Hawaii on Friday. Etienne Laurent, EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/overseas/08/12/20230811-hawaii-wild-fire-aftermath-epa-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Residents push a kart amid the ruins left by a wildfire that swept through the city up to the shore and port in Lahaina, Hawaii on Friday. Etienne Laurent, EPA-EFE</figcaption></figure></div> MANILA — The Philippine Consulate in Hawaii is sending a team to a city in Maui to provide assistance to distressed Filipinos affected by the wildfires, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/08/15/23/hawaii-governor-warns-maui-wildfire-death-toll-may-double">Hawaii: Governor warns Maui wildfire death toll may double</a></li></ul>“Our consulate is sending a team now… to a city in Maui, to form a team to provide consular assistance to our distressed Filipino nationals. We have to emphasize Filipino citizens primarily,” De Vega said during DFA’s budget hearing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/ancx/culture/spotlight/08/12/23/what-caused-hawaiis-devastating-wildfires">What caused Hawaii&#x27;s devastating wildfires?</a></li></ul>“If they need repatriation, we will fund their repatriation,” De Vega noted.De Vega also told the House Committee on Appropriations that it cannot confirm yet whether Filipinos were affected by the wildfire. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/14/23/info-on-filipinos-in-hawaii-fire-a-challenge-official">Information on Filipinos in Hawaii fire a challenge: official</a></li></ul>However, he noted that 17 percent of Maui’s population are Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/08/14/23/mga-pinoy-na-sapul-ng-hawaii-wildfires-problemado">Mga Pinoy na sapul ng Hawaii wildfires problemado kung paano makakabangon</a></li></ul>“Ninety nine deceased and rising. Maui authorities have not given a breakdown by nationality. However, in Maui, 17 percent of the population are Filipinos or Filipino-Americans. We have to accept the possibility that eventually when they identify the bodies, that there are some Filipinos or Filipino-Americans,” De Vega said.ACT Teachers Party List Rep. France Castro appealed to the DFA to also provide help to affected Filipino-Americans.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/multimedia/photo/08/14/23/body-count-in-hawaii-fire-still-rising">Body count in Hawaii fire still rising</a></li></ul>The historic coastal town on the island of Maui was almost completely destroyed by the fast-moving inferno early Wednesday morning, with survivors saying there had been no warnings.The death toll in Hawaii from the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century was expected to cross the 100-mark, fueling criticism that an inadequate official response contributed to the heavy loss of life.<div>— With a report from Agence France-Presse </div>

The DFA said it cannot confirm yet whether Filipinos were affected by the wildfire. 

PH Consulate in Hawaii sends team to Maui amid wildfires: DFA | ABS-CBN

Halalan 2025

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Lifestyle

Sports

More

Traffic

Horoscope

News

PH Consulate in Hawaii sends team to Maui amid wildfires: DFA

PH Consulate in Hawaii sends team to Maui amid wildfires: DFA

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 15, 2023 06:58 PM PHT

|

Updated Aug 16, 2023 10:08 AM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

House

DFA

Hawaii

Maui

wildfire

wildfires

Hawaii wildfire

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.