MANILA, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has reappointed a newspaper columnist and media executive Jose Manuel Romualdez as Philippine ambassador to the United States, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said on Thursday.
"We are confident that the re-appoinment of Romualdez will usher in better Philippine-U.S. relations and promote stronger cooperation between the two countries," Abella said in a statement.
Duterte named Romualdez as envoy to the U.S. in December last year. But Romualdez declined the appointment due to health reasons.
Robespierre Bolivar, the acting spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said the DFA will begin briefing "ambassador-designate Romualdez at the earliest opportunity."
Like all other nominees, Bolivar said Romualdez will have to go through the process in order to perform his duties as ambassador.
"Malacanang (presidential palace) would have to convey in writing his nomination to the Commission on Appointments (CA). After this is received by the CA there is a required publication period (the nomination will be published on the CA's website) and the nominee will have to submit documents to the CA. Only then will the schedule for his confirmation hearings be announced," Bolivar explained.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim congratulated Romualdez on his nomination. "Warm congratulations to my good friend," Kim said.
Romualdez writes a column in the Philippine Star.
