TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Philippines envoy Silvestre Bello III traveled to Hualien County to learn about the fate of 1,400 migrant workers from his country in the quake-hit region, reports said Sunday (April 7).

He said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had entrusted him with expressing condolences and solidarity with Taiwan and Hualien, per CNA. Bello also thanked the authorities for taking care of Filipino workers, few of whom had been impacted by Wednesday’s (April 3) magnitude 7.2 quake.

The representative flew from the Philippines to Taipei and transferred immediately to Hualien. He said he was planning to visit churches in the region to hear from migrant workers about their situation.

The Hualien County Government briefed Bello about the damage to buildings in the area, the condition of injured people, and the search for missing individuals. The death toll stood at 13, with six people still missing, including a couple from Singapore.