What Kind Of Asian Are You? Where Are You Really From?
Charles Cole III: Our Black Boys...
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Harry K. Thomas Jr. (in the dark suit) has taken his post as the new United States Ambassador to the Philippines. Mr. Thomas is the first black envoy to the Philippines, and he arrives at his new post with a formidable resume:
Ambassador Thomas served most recently as a Special Assistant to the Secretary and Executive Secretary of the State Department.
He joined the Foreign Service in 1984, and served as Director for South Asia at the National Security Council in the White House from 2001 to 2002. He served as United States Ambassador to Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005. His other postings include: New Delhi, India; Harare, Zimbabwe; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. He has served as Senior Watch Officer, Deputy Director, and Director of the State Department Operations Center, Special Assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs, and Staff Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs.
Ambassador Thomas speaks Spanish, Hindi, and Bangla. He has received many awards, including the Arnold Raphel Award for leadership, motivation, and mentoring of colleagues. Source: Manilla Bulletin Publishing Corp
And now Ambassador Thomas has added Tagalog to his linguistic repertoire. Thomas had several weeks of downtime waiting for his confirmation to be approved, so he studied the Philippine national language.
It's a big world out there. I hope Ambassador Thomas career achievement reminds all young people of that fact.
Comments: (14)
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By: cocoadelight on 4/23/2010 2:49PM
I had the pleasure of meeting Ambassador Thomas about a year go as he was a guest speaker at an organizational function. He was absolutely charming, stimulating and I left feeling privileged that I had met such an impressive, down-to-earth man.
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By: cocoadelight on 4/23/2010 2:50PM
It is pleasing news that Ambassador Thomas has been appointed to the Phillipines. I had the pleasure of meeting him about a year ago as he spoke to our organization about world affairs. His informal talk was stimulating and encouraging. I found him charming and down-to-earth. As with President Obama, he left me feeling a need to be a better person.
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By: lourdes t. yu on 8/04/2010 8:08PM
Harry K. Thomas Jr. - New U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.
I can sense that you such a good man, huggable, charming and down-to-earth person. :)
Welcome you greatfully to our country.
More power to you!
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By: RICHARD Z. CALUB on 9/13/2010 6:53PM
03 September 2010
4 Wakefield Grove
Waikanae, Kapiti coast
Wellington, New Zealand
5036
Harry K. Thomas Jr.
United States Of America
Ambassador to the Philippines
Dear Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr,
Sir, first of all I would like to greet and congratulate you for having you as our new Ambassador and you have a great heart for the Filipinos.I have seen you on television interview with Ms. Karen Davila on ANC.is very deserving honor for you. I believe in your sincerity and fairness in dealing with our countrymen and to the world. In this context,I would also like to appreciate the continued support and approval for the veterans claims (WW II) as part of the US stimulus package of U.S.President Barrack Obama.
In the year 1941, my father (Enrique Calub y Dacanay) enlisted as a USAFFE to defend our country against the Japanese during WW II. He received decorations and awards shown in records, affidavits for Philippine Army personnel, Ref.File Nos. 72136106, LIN 93 125 500 12.
My wife & I accompanied my father when he was called for an interview for naturalization and passed. He was told to wait until the other veterans will finished their interview and take the oath of allegiance to become US citizen. My father died in 03 March 2000, without any military honors, and my mother tried to file claim for US Department of Veteran Affairs (va) Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DTC) Death Pension Accrued Benefits, unfortunately, my mother died in 03 August 2006, unable to received any of the said benefits, Ref. File No. XC 30 365 622. All of the said records were submitted in the US Embassy in Roxas Blvd. Manila, Philippines.
I am just hoping if I can avail the said benefits as a surviving only son of my father as a USAFFE Veteran. Thank you and more power.
Kind regards,
Richard Z. Calub
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By: Mercy Jonah John on 12/21/2010 7:19PM
Yes Ambassador Harry K. Thoma Jr, is a very wonderful person.
i first met him 1986 in Kaduna, Nigeria when he was posted to Nigeria to served for 2 years, i was only 8 years then cos my dad Mr John was his steward back then. He is a loving, caring and kindhearted fellow. i must say that Philippines are really blessed to have someone like Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr.
he left 1988 for US i was sad and empty cos he was my family and a friend, i used to danced with him and also i and my siblings received gifts at Christmas.
Hope to see him some day.
thank you.
Mercy Jonah John
Lagos, Nigeria.
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By: Noelle Ann Rebultan on 2/27/2011 6:30PM
Sir Thomas,
I have a serious problem regarding my husband who is an illegal alien in your country. We have communication but very seldom since he divorced me already. My concern is he doesn't support his children correctly, not even to put them into school and feed them 3x a day. I am not sure where he actually works and lives but I am sure its in California. He is working in a homecare facility. Sir, can you help me claim child support for my kids? Or if I cannot claim since I live here in the Philippines and he is there in U.S. can you just deport him?
Thank you and more power
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By: Harry Stone on 4/05/2011 10:17AM
Ambassador Thomas welcome to the Philippines. You should love it here. There is one MAJOR problem, if you are in need of a consular assistance from the US Embassy there.. you can forget it! They do not answer phone calls or connect phone calls or reply. They do not reply to anything. No one is permitted to walk in. Oh you can get in if you can make an appointment on the US EMBASSY web site. Please try I dare you! I challenge anybody to try. The US embassy Manila is completely out of touch as to why it's there! American citizens services are not helping anybody! I know. SEVEN MONTHS and still no reply! SEVEN MONTHS! Why don't you stop wasting our tax payer dollars and make it a functional embassy?
I am still waiting!!!! SEVEN MONTHS!
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By: Harry Stone on 4/05/2011 10:43PM
Welcome... Why would anyone praise a person that is in charge of the US EMBASSY MANILA that doesn't answer phone calls or assist AMERICANS in need of AMERICAN CITIZENS SERVICES! I am sure that the other departments are either PARTYING their butts off or they are seriously under maned. Sure he is a nice guy, but what is he doing to IMPROVE the performance of the Embassy? Making photo ops isn't helping... if he were to step in and pick up a phone call or two.. then maybe he is doing something. If he really wanted to make headlines pick up some more employees to fill the gap. Fire the old dead wood and get some fresh bodies to meet the demand! Impress me... Challenge ... What will happen?
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By: Harry Stone on 4/05/2011 11:12AM
Welcome to the Philippines! Lots of brown nose rs want to rub elbows with you. I just ask one favor. Clean up the mess you call an EMBASSY. Thousands of AMERICAN Citizens are being turned away every day, day on end without getting any assistance for AMERICAN Citizens services. I have been trying for 7 MONTHS! YES non stop everyday, I spend up to 1000peso in load or sometimes the ENTIRE day online trying to get an appointment. I wish all of the EMPLOYEES there didn't get paid for seven months. That's how long I have been here waiting for AMERICAN CITIZENS service and I can't return to work till you KICK them into gear! Come on man! Do something besides shake hands and smile!
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By: gene sweater on 4/18/2011 12:29AM
Dear Ambassador Thomas,
We need URGENT HELP to STOP UNJUST persecution of Filipinos & filipino americans in California & other states in the USA because our of Filipino Cultural heritage tradtion of gamefowl sports.
Please Support to REPEAL Unconstitutional anti-cockfighting laws Sponsored by a Private NONTAXPAYING TERRORIST extremist Organize syndicates Vegan groups(pls read 8-9 of the US Homeland Security report on Terrorism, http://www.hsussucks.com/, http://www.humanewatch.org).
Currently, atty general karmala harris had a proposal to " REPEAL" unjust, Inhumane laws, cruel & Unconstitutional anti-cockfighitng laws..It violates our US Individual Liberty rights ( over a chicken?)and its' immoral & unconstituional to IMPOSE once personal MORAL CHicken values to others.
It also violates Human rights laws, the right to economic, social & CUltural rights( as long it does not harm humans) & the AETA laws of 2006 sign by gw bush.
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