US Ambassador Sung Kim Becomes Honorary Member of the Rotary Club of Manila

American diplomats have always been very good friends of the Rotary Club of Manila (RCM), and this was demonstrated recently when US Ambassador Sung Kim became an honorary member of the oldest and most prestigious rotary club in Asia. The Ambassador — who was the also the keynote speaker during the event — displayed wit and humor when he admitted being “impressed by the world-famous Rotary Club of Manila choir,” drawing appreciative laughter and applause from Rotary members and guests.

Describing RCM as “the largest and the best Rotary club not only in Manila and the Philippines but the whole of Asia,” Ambassador Kim stated his admiration for the work that the Rotary club is doing. Noting that many of his predecessors such as Ambassadors Harry Thomas, Kristie Kenney and more recently Philip Goldberg have become good friends with the Manila Rotary, the diplomat expressed hope that the same kind of friendship would be extended to him as well — endearing him even more to the RCM whose members include very prominent society personalities as well as business leaders.

“I am thrilled beyond words to be the US Ambassador to the Philippines,” Ambassador Kim said, disclosing that his country's relationship with the Philippines is one of the most special partnerships the United States has, not just in the (Asia Pacific) region but anywhere,” underscoring the depth and the strength of the bond between the two nations. And while such strong relationship may be seen in terms of great numbers such as the over four million Filipino-Americans in the US or the fact that the non-immigrant visa section of the US Embassy in Manila processed over 220,000 visas in 2016 alone, or that the immigrant visa unit is one of the busiest globally — “there is really no substitute for real-life, firsthand experiences that teach me so much about this great country, its rich culture and amazing people,” the ambassador admitted. One such experience, Ambassador Kim explained, is the thrill of watching an exciting La Salle-Ateneo basketball game — drawing hearty laughter and great applause from the audience.