President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is ready to extend assistance and support to the government and residents of Morocco recently hit by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that claimed the lives of at least 2,800 people.

“The Philippines is ready to offer assistance and any support that may be needed for the swift recovery of your nation,” President Marcos said on his official X account, a few days after the deadly earthquake struck southwest of Marrakech in Morocco.

President Marcos said the Philippines and the Filipino people have faith in the strength and resilience of the Moroccan people “to unite and rebuild in the face of such adversity” as he extended prayers to the affected families.

“The Filipino people are deeply saddened to learn of the devastating 6.8-magnitude earthquake that has tragically claimed over 2,000 lives in Morocco. We stand in grief and solidarity with you, and our prayers go to the families affected by this tragedy,” the President said.

Morocco’s interior ministry reportedly disclosed that the death toll of the earthquake has already reached 2,862 with 2,562 people injured.

In an interview with CNN Philippines, Philippine Ambassador to Morocco Leslie Baja said no Filipino casualties were recorded as she believed that they “went out of their houses and apartments to the streets to seek safety” when the earthquake struck.

There are around 4,600 Filipinos in Morocco, according to Baja.

Baja said they will closely coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to extend any assistance to Filipinos as she emphasized that the Philippine embassy immediately contacted area coordinators to check on their condition in Morocco after the earthquake struck. PND