The ambassadors of the European Union, France, Germany, and the United States expressed their solidarity with Filipinos as recovery from the effects of the recent typhoons and enhanced southwest monsoon, or habagat, begins across the affected areas.
Foreign envoys extend sympathy to typhoon-affected Filipinos
Published Jul 26, 2025 04:55 pm
Residents of Barangay Roxas District in Quezon City wade through floodwaters caused by continuous heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)
Ambassadors Massimo Santoro of the European Union, Marie Fontanel of France, and MaryKay Carlson of the United States posted separately on X (formerly Twitter).
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives and devastation caused by the recent typhoons and floods across the Philippines. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Santoro wrote.
“The EU stands in solidarity with the Filipino people during this difficult time,” he added.
Fontanel also took to X to announce that the French Embassy in Manila remains open and to express confidence in the Filipinos’ resilient spirit.
“But our Filipino friends know resilience and show us how to stand tall!,” she said.
"My steadfast solidarity with the victims of the recent floodings in the (Philippines). Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. (Germany) stands in sympathy with the Filipino people during those difficult times," German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke said in his X post.
Carlson, who had just returned to Manila, also extended her “thoughts and prayers” to those who were affected by the recent typhoons and flooding.
“The US Embassy team is working closely with Philippine government agencies to provide assistance to those in need,” she wrote.
Earlier, Carlson also announced the P13.8-million in funding from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to augment the Philippine government’s life-saving response.
The funding aims to support government relief operations by facilitating the transport of food to flood-affected communities in Metro Manila, Northern and Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has already confirmed 12 of the 26 reported deaths caused by Typhoons Crising, Dante, Emong, and the southwest monsoon.
Other reported deaths have yet to be validated.
The NDRRMC said that causes of death were drowning, cardiac arrest, electrocution, and being struck by a fallen tree.
A total of 4,679,046 people or 1,295,808 families have also been affected by the floods, landslides, collapsed structures, and tornadoes in the affected areas.