U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson Presents Credentials

The US-Philippines Society shares a video and transcript of the presentation of credentials by U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on July 22. Amb Carlson was welcomed with arrival honors followed by the signing of the guestbook. She later offered a wreath to the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, Rizal Monument, Luneta. Courtesy of Radio TV Malacanang.

Presentation of Credentials

July 22, 2022

Manila, Republic of the Philippines

TRANSCRIPT

Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson:

Mr. President, I am deeply honored to present my credentials to you today, as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Philippines. As President Biden emphasized in his call with you on May 10th, America’s commitment to the Philippines is deep and enduring as friends, allies and partners.

We are fellow democracies bound by a rich shared history. We share the powerful positive ties of family embodied in the four million Filipino Americans in the United States and the 350,000 U.S. citizens in the Philippines.

Our alliance is the bedrock of our bond, and our mutual defense treaty and other agreements are at the heart of our commitment to help defend the Philippine sovereignty and independence. I arrive in Manila inspired by the bond between our great nations and devoted to making it even stronger. I feel especially fortunate to arrive in the early days of your administration.

The United States Is committed to partnering with you and your team as you move ahead, as you act to ensure the security, prosperity, and freedoms of the Philippine people. We are here to help.

We are invested in your success.

We look forward to working together to develop new trade and investment ties – to partner on clean energy solution, protect marine and terrestrial resources and help tackle the climate crisis. You have a reliable partner in the United States on all these issues.

And I’m also deeply grateful for the friendship you have shown to our Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Variava and all of us at the U.S. Embassy team even before you took office. With your leadership, we are glad that our bilateral ties are off to an excellent start.

Thank you.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.:

Thank you, Madam. Welcome to the Philippines.

We have looked forward with great anticipation to your arrival here as the envoy, the ambassador from the United States of America.

I think it is known to everyone, but nonetheless it bears repeating that the traditional ties between the United States and the Philippines are deep and enduring and have lasted through so many cycles of difficulty, of success, through so many years, over 100 years now and it has only deepened that relationship. It has not loosened the relationship. It has not made us farther from one another.

It has had the effect of quite the opposite of bringing us together once again, and we echo your commitment that the United States is committed to the Philippines.

The Philippines is also committed to the United States, committed to the continuing relationship between our two countries in the many dimensions and the multifaceted nature of our relationship between the United States and the Philippines.

We continue to look to the United States for leadership when it comes to world events and we continue to look to the United States as a friend, as a partner, as an ally. In the face of a very volatile global, political, and economic situation, it is this strong ties that we have with our friends, and perhaps the longest of those being the United States of America. We depend on those ties to keep the stability of not only our country but also the region, and for that matter the world stability to slowly help us and guide us through to the post-pandemic world.

And so, it is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Philippines.

We are honored that your first ambassadorship should be here in the Republic of the Philippines.

Thank you very very much, Madam Ambassador.