Columnist Babe Romualdez nominated as ambassador to US

Malacañang on Thursday confirmed the nomination of newspaper columnist Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez as the Philippines’ ambassador to the United States.

“The Palace announces the nomination of Mr. Jose Manuel Del Gallego Romualdez as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, with concurrent jurisdiction over the Commonwealth of Jamaica, Republic of Haiti, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines and Saint Lucia,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

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“We are confident that with Mr. Romualdez at the helm of the Philippine embassy at Washington, D.C.,  will further strengthen PH-US relations and promote stronger cooperation between the two countries,” he added.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano told media last week that the government was already vetting someone for the position but he could not confirm if it was Romualdez.

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Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar said the agency will brief Romualdez “at the earliest opportunity. 

He said the schedule for Romualdez’s confirmation hearings will start after Malacañang formally writes to the Commission on Appointments and following the nominee’s submission of required documents.