Ambassador Thomas on the State of U.S.-Philippines relationship
Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. was at the Center for Strategic and International Studies last week to discuss recent developments across the U.S.-Philippines relationship. Ernie Bower had the opportunity to sit down with Ambassador Thomas to get his take on the last 18 months in Manila, and the governance challenges that lie ahead for expanding the existing strong partnership. Watch below to hear Ambassador Thomas discuss the robust relationship and his future goals to mutually benefit Americans and Filipinos in the areas of maritime security, trade, and governance:
Below is a transcript of the latter part of the interview where Ambassador Thomas discusses the U.S.-Philippine trade and investment engagement and voices out his hopes for an improved relationship between the two countries.
============================================================================== Ernest Bower (starting at 04:42): Let’s talk about economics. You know, could you just tell us a little bit about where the Philippines stand on the sort of the trade and investment engagement with the United States.
Ambassador Thomas: They have a great Finance Secretary in Cesar Purisima and Trade Secretary in Gregory Domingo — both educated here…Wharton Business here…gave up their private business to work for the government…they’re honest men. That said, I think they understand, as we do, that there is much progress needed. That the current Philippine laws inhibit foreign investment. Now, it’s up to the Philippine people which way they want to go. It’s up to them to decide. But the world’s a very competitive place… and the Philippines is 9 of 11 states in ASEAN in business investment and that shouldn’t be, given all the advantages the Philippines has. So we, through our Partnership For Growth, have invited the Philippine economic cabinet to Washington to meet with U.S. trade rep. and others in September to go through their laws, chapter and verse, to see what they need to do in terms of executive orders, amendments, new laws that will allow them to eventually join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, increase their (inaudible), and keep some of the great Filipinos at home.
E. Bower: Senators Lugar, Kerry, and Inhofe, and I know I’m missing one…but they passed a Senate resolution on the 60th anniversary of the US-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty and they had some ideas about what the U.S. and the Philippines could do to get that relationship a little bit closer.What are two or three things that you’d like to see happen under your watch as Ambassador as you, sort of goals that you have for yourself and your team and the relationship?
Ambassador Thomas: Well, three things that I would like to see, clearly, is more opportunities for American businesses, reform of the court system, and continued improvement in our military relationship. And, in terms of training of Filipinos, in terms of ending extra-judicial killings and successful prosecutions, but also providing more military assets that are properly maintained and utilized.
E. Bower: Well, Ambassador Thomas, I’d like to thank you for spending a little bit of time with us here at CSIS. I wish that your goals are achieved and, with your leadership, I have high hopes that they could be achieved. So, thank you for coming to see us.
Ambassador Thomas: Maraming salamat. Kita-kits Manila. Kita-kits. See you soon. ==============================================================================
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