Kerry confident on US-Philippines alliance

WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State John Kerry said he hopes to visit the Philippines before leaving office to underscore the deep bonds of friendship between the two countries and the indelible alliance Filipinos and Americans forged in the fires of World War II.

“I am confident about the future of our bilateral relationship, notwithstanding a difference here or there about one thing or another,” Kerry said in a ceremony at the State Department to swear in Sung Kim as the new US ambassador to the Philippines.

Kerry did not make any reference to President Duterte’s repeated anti-American tirades since assuming the presidency on June 30.

“Democratic elections bring change, and we must all have the wisdom to recognize and to adjust to that change,” Kerry said.

“But the logic of our alliance, of why we have stood together for so long, of how deeply there are bonds of friendship and family between our people – those are as compelling today as they have ever been,” he said.

Kerry visited the Philippines in July and met with Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.

“And I will repeat now what I said then: that the United States continues to place a high value on the close ties that exist between our countries. We continue to recognize our ironclad commitment to the sovereignty, independence and security of the Philippines. And we will continue to cooperate in efforts to maintain peace and stability, and to promote shared prosperity in the Asia Pacific region.”

In his remarks, Sung Kim said he was thrilled at being posted to the Philippines, “our oldest ally in Asia and one of our most special friends anywhere.”

“There’s a lot of important work ahead for our two countries (and) I’m eager to get started,” he said.

Kim was born in South Korea, came to the US when he was 13 years old and became the first Korean American US ambassador to Seoul prior to his latest appointment.

Asked if there was any indication from Manila of some sort of olive branch that would clear the way for a Kerry visit, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said, “I think the secretary was making clear that this relationship matters to the United States.”

Kerry’s wish to visit the Philippines after the US elections on Nov. 8 and before a new administration takes over on Jan. 20 was an expression of his desire not to see the strong bonds between both countries “threatened in any shape or form by some of the political rhetoric flying around,” Toner said.

Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel, who visited the Philippines recently, told a news briefing the bilateral relationship between both countries was “going through a bit of a rough patch, some growing pains. There’s been some name-calling coming out of Manila. There’s been some questions raised about what the future holds.”

But the fact of the matter is that the deep, deep roots between the United States and the Philippines and between the Filipino people and the American people will, over the long term, ensure stability in the relationship, he said.  

“This is what holds us together. We’re family,” he said.

Referring to the change in government after the US election next week, Russel said regardless of who becomes the next president, the United States has a huge interest in supporting and being an active participant that benefits from the prosperity and stability of the Asia-Pacific. 

DFA welcomes appointment

The Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed yesterday the swearing in of Sung Kim as the new US envoy to the Philippines.

“We welcome the assignment of Ambassador Sung Kim as the new ambassador to the Philippines and look forward to working with him in promoting Philippine-US relations,” Charles Jose, DFA spokesman and recently appointed Philippine ambassador to Malaysia, told The STAR.

Kim’s predecessors in the US embassy in Manila, Kristie Kenney and Harry Thomas, both took to Twitter to express their well wishes for Kim, a former US envoy to South Korea.

“New US Amb to the Philippines talks his love of basketball at his swearing in. DYK – he’s a lifetime LA Lakers fan,” Kenney said in her tweet.

“#MabuhayAmbKim Congratulations @USAmbManila Sung Kim as you are sworn in to become ambassador to the Philippines where you will be welcomed,” Thomas tweeted.

Kerry, in his speech before swearing in Kim, said that he knew no one better qualified to take on the envoy post to Manila.

“He has, as everybody here knows, tackled some really tough complex challenges over a period of time. He has even done battle with radioactive, nuclear material. When he was special envoy to the 6th party talks, he conducted a very thorough and careful inspection of the North Korean nuclear facility only to find afterwards that his footwear had become contaminated. And his biggest regret was not that he was exposed to anything, it was that he only had one pair of Ferragamos to give for his country,” Kerry said.

Kerry said that one of Kim’s daughters, Erica, was in the Philippines for a school trip.

“Erica is already in the Philippines on a school trip. Here in the State Department, we call that good advance work,” Kerry joked.

The Secretary of State also expressed confidence in the continuing strong bilateral ties between the Philippines and the US.

Kerry pointed out that the Philippines and the US are both commemorating the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1942, which sparked the US entry into World War 2, a time of “immense human tragedy but also a story of remarkable courage and the forging of an indelible alliance between the American and Filipino peoples.”

He expressed confidence that Kim will be a “worthy successor” to Ambassador Philip Goldberg.

Kim is the first US ambassador to the Philippines with Asian heritage. He was born in South Korea but his family moved to the US in the 1970s and he became a US citizen in 1980.

In his speech after being sworn in, Kim said that he was looking forward to Manila.

“I’m thrilled to have the honor of representing our country in the Philippines, our oldest ally in Asia and one of our most special friends anywhere. The US and the Philippines are and will continue to be close friends, partners and allies,” Kim said, also thanking his family for support.

Senators, too

Senators welcomed yesterday the appointment of Sung Kim as the new US ambassador to Manila, saying he could help improve ties between the two countries.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, chair of the Senate committee on public order, said Kim’s appointment showed how highly the US values its diplomatic relations with the Philippines. 

“While they are apparently resigned to President Duterte’s hostile attitude towards them, they know that leaders come and go and it is to the best interest of the two countries to simply count on our people-to-people socio-political ties that transcend generations,” Lacson said in a text message. – Rainier Allan Ronda, Paolo Romero