United States President Joe Biden has condoled with the Philippines after Super Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon ravaged Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, July 30.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Tuesday that Carina killed at least 39 individuals.
“Let me just start by sending our deepest condolences to all the victims of the recent typhoon and to say again, anything we can do to be of assistance, we welcome doing that,” Blinken said at his joint courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III.
Blinken said they are “very, very pleased” to visit the country, and extended the greetings of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Austin also offered his sympathy to the more than one million families who have been affected by the storm.
“And I’ve said a number of times that we’re more than allies, we’re family and it always feels that way when, you know, I’m working with our colleagues,” the US official said.
For his part, Marcos Jr. thanked the US government for extending its condolences to the Filipino people.
He also renewed the commitment of the Philippines to strengthen its working relationship with the US.
“We are very happy to see you once again. I’m a bit surprised considering how interesting your political situation has become back in the States, but I’m glad that you found the time to come and visit with us,” according to the President.
Blinken and Austin are currently in Manila to attend the Fourth Philippines-United States 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue with their counterparts, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.
This is the first time the 2+2 meeting is being held in the country; having previously taken place in Washington, DC.IMT
