PRESS RELEASE
WDC-1-2026
22 January 2025
Embassy Press and Information Section
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Students of a Southeast Asia Policy Seminar class at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) engaged Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez in a lively discussion on Philippines-U.S. relations amidst challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
In touting the Philippines-U.S. partnership, Ambassador Romualdez said, “The Philippines is proud to call itself a Friend, Ally, and Partner of the United States. We are America’s oldest treaty ally, 75 years and counting. The U.S. is the top destination for Philippine exports. And there are more than four million Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who continue to bring pride to our motherland through their successes here, in this country they now call home.”
The Ambassador touched on the Philippine policy priorities in its relationship with the U.S., and offered his views on the situation in the South China Sea and the importance of minilateral and multilateral partnerships. He also outlined the Philippines’ priorities as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026.
The Southeast Asia Policy Seminar class is a capstone class for second-year graduate students at Johns Hopkins SAIS, and will include a week-long study trip to Manila.
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PHOTO RELEASE
WDC-6-7-8-9-10-2026
22 January 2026
