New US envoy Thomas arrives in RP

The new ambassador of the United States to the Philippines arrived in Manila over the weekend to assume his duties as US envoy to the country. Radio dzBB reported Monday that Harry Thomas Jr. arrived Saturday night to replace Kristie Ann Kenney, the first woman ambassador to the Philippines. He arrived aboard a Delta Airlines (Northwest) flight and received a welcome from US Embassy officials and staff headed by charge d’ affaires Leslie Bassett. He speaks Spanish, Hindi and Bangla and is learning Filipino. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross and pursued further study at Columbia University. Thomas noted his father Harry Thomas Sr. visited the Philippines after World War ll. US President Barack Obama II appointed him on November 19 last year. He is the first African-American US envoy to Manila. Thomas served as director general of the US Foreign Service and director for human resources of the State Department. He served as a special assistant to the Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Department. He joined the Foreign Service in 1984 and served as US ambassador to Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005. He also served in the White House as the Director for South Asia at the National Security Council from 2001 to 2002. Thomas’ other postings include New Delhi; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. — RSJ, GMANews.TV