U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Filipino people and highlighted key milestones in U.S.-Philippine relations during her farewell “Open House” reception, marking the close of her three-and-a-half-year tenure.
“Serving here has been the greatest honor of my forty years as a United States diplomat,” Carlson said, recalling the warmth and generosity she and her spouse, Aubrey, received from Filipinos across the country — from bustling cities to the most remote islands.
She emphasized that people-to-people ties remain the foundation of the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines. In 2024 alone, more than 1.3 million U.S. citizens visited the Philippines, strengthening bonds of family, friendship, and shared history.
Carlson also cited the continued service of 170 Peace Corps Volunteers nationwide, part of more than 9,500 volunteers who have served in the Philippines since 1961. She noted recent memoranda of understanding facilitated by the Philippine-American Educational Foundation — the world’s oldest continuously operating Fulbright Commission — aimed at advancing workforce development, particularly in the civil nuclear sector.
During her tenure, Carlson said the two countries worked closely in times of crisis, including coordinated disaster response efforts following Typhoons Tino, Uwan, and Crising. These efforts included 32 U.S. military airlift missions delivering food and humanitarian assistance to affected communities.
She highlighted broader cooperation in innovation and economic growth, including support for Filipino small businesses in the digital economy and the establishment of a new Regional Foreign Assistance section administering more than $313 million in aid. The assistance supports energy resilience, combats illegal fishing, improves health outcomes, and boosts private sector growth.
Carlson also underscored the launch of a trilateral initiative with Japan and the Philippines to catalyze high-impact infrastructure investment in the Luzon Economic Corridor, aimed at improving transportation, energy, and logistics efficiency across the country’s most populous region.
On security cooperation, Carlson reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Philippine alliance, noting that the two treaty allies planned more than 500 combined joint military activities annually over the past three years, including the largest-ever Balikatan exercise scheduled for 2025.
“Together, we have defended international law in the South China Sea and upheld the rights of Filipino fisherfolk,” she said. “Our alliance is truly ironclad, and our shared commitment has never been stronger.”
Carlson concluded by thanking the U.S. Embassy team and Philippine partners for their collaboration and friendship.
“To all of you here tonight — each of you has played a vital role in the success of our alliance,” she said, raising a toast. “Our friendship is strong, our partnership vibrant, and our future bright. Maraming, maraming salamat.”