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July 9, 2010
Ambassador Thomas sees stronger ties, commends FVR and Arroyo
MANILA -The United States government vowed anew to help the Philippines under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. The new pledge was made by US Ambassador to Manila Harry Thomas during the US Independence Day celebration at the US Embassy in Manila. It was also the 39th year of the Philippine-American Friendship Day.
Earlier, US President Barack Obama and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton congratulated the Filipinos on their June 12 Independence Day celebration and the inauguration later of President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay, vowing to support the new officials.
President Obama said he was also looking forward to meeting President Aquino soon, maybe at the White House. In his speech during the double celebration, Ambassador Thomas stressed that America will continue
to do what it has been doing in the past for the Philippines and Filipinos.
“Yesterday, the Philippines celebrated the joyous inauguration of a new president, a new vice president,
and a new vision for the future. I was inspired by the energy, the enthusiasm, the hope that surrounded
the stadium and filled the streets of Manila. Great things are possible, but hard work lies ahead.
We stand ready, as a friend, to assist,” Thomas stressed. “In the Philippines, every year on July 4, we recognize the historic friendship between our two nations that was forged in the past but always looks ahead,” Thomas said. “We honor Filipinos who dreamed of and fought for independence. We salute Jose Rizal,
Andres Bonifacio, Teresa Magbanua, Melchora Aquino and all who knew that freedom while deferred would come,” he said. Thomas added: “Tonight we have highlighted some of the strongest pillars of our friendship. You will hear our Peace Corps volunteers sing the U.S. national anthem. They represent one of our longest
and most heartfelt friendship exchanges. In the courtyard you will see photographs of the many projects
made possible by our friendship with Philippine partners. You can also see photographs of the great social responsibility outreach initiated by U.S. business, another great friend of the Philippines.” He said that the US government is hoping that the friendship between the two countries would continue for another four decades.
“My goal as Ambassador is to broaden our community of friendship with Filipinos. There is no better time than now, the enduring friendship between our two countries, may it flourishes forever,” said Thomas.
Filipino-American leaders headed by Loida Nicolas-Lewis also attended the celebration. Lewis and Fil-Am leaders from the US and Canada, including Philippines Today columnists and lawyers Rodel E. Rodis and Ted Laguatan attended the inauguration of President Aquino and Vice President Binay and held a conference on good governance at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel.
Every July 4, the Philippines commemorates the liberation of the country by joint Filipino and American forces from the Japanese occupation at the end of World War II in 1946. Before 1971, the country celebrates its
Independence Day on July 4 but was transferred to June 12 by then President Diosdado Macapagal.
The Filipino-American Friendship Day was created in its place and is coinciding with the Independence Day of the USA. During the reception, Thomas also. lauded former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Gloria Arroyo, now congresswoman of the second district of Pampanga. “I would like to applaud President Ramos for your role in returning democracy to the Philippines, commend President Arroyo for your courageous stand to support
free nations opposed to terror,” Thomas said in his speech.
May the enduring friendship between the US and the Philippines it flourish forever, Thomas said. “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas at ang Amerika,” he said. Ramos, who was president from 1992 to 1998, was the Armed Forces chief and Philippine Constabulary head of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos. In February 1986, he threw his support behind a small rebellion by reformist soldiers that helped spark the Edsa revolt and catapult Corazon Aquino to the presidency. Ramos would become Armed Forces chief and later Defense secretary of President Corazon Aquino. Mrs. Arroyo supported the US-led war on terror that was launched in 2001 by deploying at least 51 Filipino soldiers to Iraq after al-Qaeda-masterminded attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City that left at least 2,600 people dead. She was president from 2001 to 2010.
Thomas said that there is no better time to broaden Washington’s community of friendship with Manila because of the recent inauguration of President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay. “I was inspired by the energy, the enthusiasm, the hope that surrounded the stadium [Quirino Grandstand in Manila’s Rizal
Park, or Luneta] and filled the streets of Manila. Great things are possible, but hard work lies ahead. We stand ready, as a friend, to assist,” he added. To back up his claims, he cited the longstanding involvement of the US Peace Corps in development projects in the country as well as the social outreach programs
by US businesses in the Philippines.