A new US Ambassador to the Philippines has arrived in Manila.
MaryKay Carlson was welcomed by members of the US Embassy in the Philippines, including former Chargé d'Affaires ad interim Heather Variava, on Thursday night following consultations in Washington D.C.
"So excited to be here! I cannot wait to get the ball rolling and engage with our Filipino #FriendsPartnersAllies to further strengthen the thriving U.S.-Philippines relationship. Maraming salamat (Thank you very much) for the warm welcome!" the envoy said in a Twitter post.
In a statement, Carlson also said she is thrilled to be in the country and is honored to represent the US "in this important relationship."
"With the Philippines, our oldest treaty ally in Asia, we have a long history of shared sacrifice and incredibly close people-to-people ties," she said.
"I look forward to working with the new government and our partners to upgrade and modernize our alliance to face new challenges, expand bilateral trade and investment, and promote democratic freedoms and good governance," she added.
Sworn in in May 2022, Carlson succeeded Sung Kim, who served from November 2016 to October 2020.
Carlson, who speaks English, Spanish and Chinese, served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina before arriving in Manila.
She also worked as Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi, India for three years, including a ten-month stint as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim.
In her 37 years in foreign service, she served in various capacities in India, China, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Kenya and the Dominican Republic.
Carlson also held the position of Principal Deputy Executive Secretary for the Secretary of State in Washington, DC.
A mother of two, the new US envoy was a native of Little Rock, Arkansas. She holds Masters Degrees from Georgetown University (International Relations) and the National War College (National Security Studies).
On the other hand, Heather Variava, who has been serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim since September 2021, will remain in Manila as Deputy Chief of Mission.
"I thank Heather for her remarkable leadership and for the outstanding work she has done to promote our close partnership with the Philippines," Carlson said.
"I look forward to working closely with her, and with the team at the U.S. Embassy, to further strengthen our ties with the Philippines as enduring friends, partners, and allies," she added.