Pres. Biden extends condolences to typhoon victims; U.S. ready to assist typhoon-hit Filipinos

Transcript

00:00The welcome mat was laid out and the reception and greetings could not have been warmer.

00:05Heartfelt sentiments Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Defense Chief conveyed on

00:10their arrival and on a presidential welcome lavished on them earlier today at Malacanang

00:15Palace, which both officials couldn't help but acknowledge.

00:19Our Alan Francisco fills us in with more on today's courtesy call on the President.

00:26The United States President Joe Biden extended his country's condolences to the Filipinos

00:32affected by Typhoon Karina and the southwest monsoon rains.

00:36This message was conveyed by his officials, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary

00:41of Defense Lloyd Austin during their courtesy call on President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

00:47earlier today.

00:48They also expressed the readiness to assist those affected by the calamity.

00:51Just start by sending our deepest condolences to all of the victims of the recent typhoon

00:57and to say again, anything we can do to be of assistance, we welcome doing that.

01:02Mr. President, let me echo Tony's comments on the warm welcome.

01:06It really is great to be back in country again.

01:11And also his offer of condolences for those who have been affected by the storm.

01:19You know, I've said a number of times that we're more than allies, we're family.

01:22And it always feels that way when, you know, I'm working with our colleagues.

01:27The President warmly welcomed the two U.S. officials in Malacañang Palace.

01:32Welcome back to the Philippines.

01:34And I'm always very happy that these communication lines are very open so that all the things

01:46that we are doing together in terms of our alliance, in terms of the specific context

01:52of our situation here in the West Philippine Sea and in the Indo-Pacific are continuously

01:58examined and reexamined so we are agile in terms of our responses.

02:05The U.S. officials expressed their gratitude to President Marcos for the warm reception.

02:10Secretary Austin also conveyed optimism on further strengthening the relations between

02:14the two countries in the coming years, which President Marcos greatly appreciates.

02:20You know, we have common interests, common values.

02:24And so I think we've done a lot over the last three and a half years to continue to strengthen

02:29our alliance.

02:30And we look forward to continuing to work with you and your team to move even further.

02:37All of the things that we have done in the previous months has been really – serves

02:45really to make all our alliances and partnerships more – actually have a working relationship

02:58in the sense that lines of communications have been opened, and it's – again, we

03:04are doing many more things together.

03:06Alan Francisco, from the National TV Network, for a new and better Philippines.