|
Ambassador
Harry Thomas Jr. addressing guests from the City of Tacloban and
the US Embassy in front of the Leyte Landing Monument on the eve
of the US Embassy’s America in 3D event. |
Tacloban City hosts
America in 3D 2013
By DAVID STA. MARIA
March 6, 2013
TACLOBAN CITY – The US
Embassy’s AMERICA IN 3D kicked-off in Tacloban City March 2.
Launched by US Ambassador
Harry Thomas Jr. in early 2011, the road show highlights the American
Government’s diplomacy, development and defense efforts. Travelling
from Baguio, Laoag, Iloilo, Cebu, and now Tacloban, the event is a
celebration of Filipino-American friendships, and a showcase of
American culture, US Business and US Embassy services in the
Philippines.
In this weekend event,
Tacloban city got to play a part in exhibiting Filipino-American
relations, while the booming city has been a key player in the
partnership throughout history. Immortalized in the Leyte landing
monument is a testament of Filipino-American partnership surviving
through the most difficult of times. Tacloban is the site of the
historic Leyte landing, where Gen. Douglas McArthur returning in the
tail-end of the second world war.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred
Romualdez is especially elated about the event for the possibilities
it will open for Taclobanon entrepreneurs and workers. He says that
the locals are ready and gearing for progress. With the vast
improvements the city has been seeing from shifting to a Highly
Urbanized City, to the increase of businesses being registered and
launched locally, the America in 3D coming to Tacloban seems like a
foreshadowing of greater things yet to come.
“It is high time the rest of
the Philippines sees the promise that Tacloban holds; not only as a
tourist spot, but as a serious business and investment location. We
are especially glad that our friends from the US Embassy are showing
us what they can offer the Taclobanons, and we, in return, can offer
as a city,” said Romualdez.
