US envoy’s tour of duty ends this year

MANILA, Philippines - With his time as the United States’ top diplomat in Manila winding down this year, Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. on Thursday said not only was his tour of duty challenging, it was also fun to be all over the country and to compare lechon (roast pig) in different places.

Thomas said his biggest challenge was working with the Philippine government and other international organizations to help save the lives of typhoon victims and guide them in rebuilding their homes.

“For me the most important thing is helping people stay alive. The typhoons we had, those were the biggest challenges. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), along with the State Department and the US military, had responded to every typhoon here and visited the people,” Thomas told reporters in a chance interview during a reception at the embassy.

Thomas is proud of the assistance the US government provided to help areas that suffered devastation.

“I was in Compostela Valley just to see the devastation and I’m very proud of the assistance we provided. That is the challenge because people can talk about whatever issue they want, including multilateral issues with the US, but nothing is more important than human life,” he said.

According to Thomas, another challenge that he faced was assuring that new buildings at the US embassy in Manila are built on time and within budget.

“Because our Congress wants to make sure things are built on time and on budget and this was over $280 million. We employed over 2,000 people during the construction for three years. I have many responsibilities because we have 27 agencies, great people and that was my biggest professional challenge here,” he added.

Recent improvements on the embassy facilities in Manila have enabled it to house US government agencies that were previously located in Makati, Pasay, and Pasig.

Among those agencies are the USAID, the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS), the office of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and the office of the US Representative to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

These agencies held a reception at the embassy’s new office at the annex building 2 to introduce their Philippine partners and clients to their new offices as well as to familiarize them with new procedures for guests who visit the embassy compound.

Thomas also said that he had visited Zamboanga, Basilan, Jolo, Sulu, Dos Palmas (Palawan), Boracay, Cebu, Siquijor, Davao, Baguio, Tagaytay, and Dumaguete.

He also visited banana plantations of Dole and Del Monte as the US is getting ready to import Philippine bananas.

“Obviously, I love Boracay like everybody else,” he said.

 â€œI have been to Cebu several times. So I’ve been all over and it has been fun comparing lechon in every place. I had crispy pata at the Obama Grill that is really good,” Thomas said.

Thomas said he had the privilege to get to know several Cabinet secretaries, among them Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

“They have been very kind,” he said.

Thomas, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, presented his credentials to President Gloria Arroyo on April 27, 2010.