Mr. Speaker, we stand behind our friends in the Philippines and we stand ready to help if needed.
We have already reached out to several humanitarian partners on the ground to gather information on current preparedness measures being implemented and to assess potential response options. We have in place important emergency response tools, such as the emergency disaster assistance fund, to support immediate response activities of the Red Cross movement. As was noted by the Auditor General in his report, this fund allows our partners to respond rapidly when required.
We are ready and will assist if needed from the beginning.