(Eagle News) — Malacanang on Thursday announced the nomination of Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez as ambassador to the United States.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said Romualdez, who was special envoy to Washington prior to his nomination, will also have “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.”
“We are confident that Mr. Romualdez at the helm of the Philippine Embassy at Washington, D.C., will further strengthen (Philippines-United States) relations and promote stronger cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte had already previously tapped Romualdez to replace Jose Cuisia Jr., whose tour of duty as Philippine ambassador to the US ended in June 2016.
Romualdez declined the offer because he needed to undergo an emergency operation for his eye.
Since then, however, he has recovered.
Romualdez’s nomination comes at a time the Philippines, under Duterte, is veering away from the US, its long-standing ally, and pushing for closer relations with China and Russia.
In his recent State of the Nation Address, Duterte called out the US over the Balangiga bells issue.
The bells, which were taken by US forces in the Philippine-American War in 1901, Duterte said, had a historical value to Filipinos.
The US Embassy said the US would work to find a resolution to the issue.