New US envoy to PH ‘excited’ to begin tour

US Chargé d’Affaires Michael Klecheski. TARRA QUISMUNDO/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—While the relationship between the Philippines and the United States as of late has taken a turn, America’s designated ambassador to Manila is “excited” to begin his tour here. He is expected to arrive before the end of the year.

Incoming Ambassador Sung Kim has been getting the support of the US mission in Manila as he prepared for his posting in the Philippines, where he is expected to work towards maintaining longstanding ties between the two allies.

He is expected to arrive later this month or early December as a replacement for the former envoy Philip Goldberg, whose last few months in Manila was marked by receiving tirades from President Rodrigo Duterte, who has vowed to pivot the country’s foreign policy direction away from its traditionally close partnership with the US.

“Ambassador-Designate Kim is extremely excited to be coming here. And of course, needless to say, we’ve been working with him, sending him information, advising him who to meet with,” US Chargé d’Affaires Michael Klecheski told reporters Wednesday, as the Embassy hosted an election watch party.

“I mean this is something that is done with every ambassador throughout the world and he’s really excited, very much excited to be here,” he said.

READ: Korean-born Sung Kim sworn in as US envoy to the Philippines

He said Kim’s arrival date has yet to be fixed, “but it will be quite soon.”

Asked if he anticipates a tough time for Kim to adjust given Duterte’s acerbic stance towards the US, Klecheski did not give a direct response but said: “Our new ambassador designate, he’s very excited and he’s really looking forward to strong relations.”

READ: US envoy to PH faces tough challenge

He said it was deliberate that Kim, an American-Korean career foreign service officer, was chosen to handle the Philippine posting.

“That decision was made quite a few months ago. It’s really is not a deliberate decision,” Klecheski said.

He said the same of whoever becomes the new American President.

“All I can say is… from our perspective, a good relationship with the Philippines is something that is absolutely of prime importance to us, and that’s a priority, and I think I can say with confidence that whoever our President will be will obviously consider that of great importance for all the reasons that I said earlier,” the diplomat said in an interview just as the world awaited US election results. CDG