Pinoys safe after Taiwan quake: official

MANILA, Philippines – The situation of more than 75,000 Filipinos based in Taiwan is being monitored, after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Kaohsiung County Thursday morning.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Resident Representative Antonio Basilio said his office is now coordinating with its offices throughout Taiwan to ensure that all Filipinos are safe and accounted for.

"Fortunately, Taiwan has heightened preparedness for natural disasters like this and its building codes to help ensure structural integrity against earthquakes are among the world's most stringent," said Basilio.

The quake occurred around 8 a.m. and its epicenter was located in Chia Hsien, Kaohsiung County, some 45 minutes car ride from Kaohsiung City where MECO maintains an office.

The Taiwan government reported that the quake was also felt in varying degrees of between 1.0 and 4.0 throughout the rest of Taiwan.

Although no major structural damage was reported, the Kaohsiung MRT and several train routes serving the Taiwan Eastern Coast remain suspended until further notice.

Textile factory fire

Meanwhile, MECO also reported that a fire hit a factory and its employees’ dormitory in Tainan on Thursday.

He said the 150 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) employed by the Everest Textile Factory are all safe.

"We are coordinating with their employer to ensure that they are all adequately taken care of," said Basilio.

For Babies' Sake

there are a lot of babies who would die right after they are born. and sometimes, doctors would not know why.

that is why a Filipino doctor, Dr. Enrique M. Ostrea Jr., invented the mec test . this test checks an infant's first stool after birth; this stool is called meconium . through this test, doctors will find out if an infant has been exposed to drugs and alcohol while in its mother's womb. this way, doctors will know to treat the baby. this will eventually save the baby from getting very sick or form dying.

Dr. Ostrea works in United States. he serves as chief pediatrician for Hutzel Hospital in Detroit. he has earned several awards. he was voted five times as one of 500 Best Doctors in America. He was awarded the Filipinas Magazine AChievement Award for Medicine in 2004.

although he works in the US, Dr. Ostrea comes to the Philippines to share his medical expertise and experience with students and doctors in various schools and hospitals.