Although it seems like just yesterday that I arrived in the Philippines, nearly four years have gone by. And very soon it will be time for me to head to the United States to be with my family. It has been an extraordinary honor to represent my country in the Philippines, one of our oldest allies. I have felt very at home in the Philippines, perhaps because our two countries have so much shared history together. Our fathers and grandfathers shed blood together in World War II to protect our freedom. Millions of Filipinos live and work in the United States, and many Americans call the Philippines home. We are so much more than friends — we are family.

Our Embassy in Manila is large and diverse, reflecting the strong and deep relationship between our countries. I am so proud of the work our team does here. Over the past four years, we have seen new veterans’ benefits given to the wonderful and deserving Filipino World War II veterans. Those veterans have been like family to me, and I feel deeply honored to have heard their stories and shares time with them. They are true heroes to all of us. I am very happy that they received their new benefits during my time as Ambassador. And I am proud to have been made an honorary member of the Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor although I am well aware that I will never come close to matching their courage and valor. Visiting the site of the Leyte landing, Corregidor, the site of the surrender in Bataan, and spending time at the U.S. residence in Baguio, where the World War II peace in the Philippines was signed, are some of my most cherished memories.

My memories of the past four years are as diverse as the Philippines themselves. I will never forget the rich cultures of Mindanao or the proud traditions of the Ifugao. I have loved the smiling face of every child our education programs have helped. The look of joy and wonder as they experience the Internet for the first time is unforgettable. Or the dedication of the teachers who serve from small rural schools to large Manila universities. (Sorry if my readers have wearied of me talking about education, but I am still the daughter and granddaughter of public school teachers. I always love helping education and those who teach.) In the Philippines, I have seen the wonders of the oceans and become dedicated to helping protect our environment. I’ve snorkeled with whale sharks, been diving in aquariums, tested jeepney emissions, talked to fishermen about sustainable fishing, seen our Peace Corp volunteers energize communities to create marine protected areas, and watched our USAID team design great programs with Philippine partners to promote clean energy and clean waters.

American business continues to flourish in the Philippines. Whether on the retail end where I’ve watched Gap, Banana Republic, and Krispy Kreme (to name just a few) open hugely successful stores or in the business process outsourcing sector, which has American companies in nearly every region of the Philippines now. What an exceptional experience to watch Ford cars be assembled, or Kraft foods test new products, or see “call center” agents talk to American clients from Davao, Baguio, Quezon City or Tacloban. And while I am a fan of Filipino food (especially lumpia and mangoes), I’ve loved being able to eat in McDonalds or get a coffee from Starbucks across the Philippines.

I’ve seen conflict areas where ordinary citizens struggle to provide a decent life for their families and hope we’ve helped give them the infrastructure and education to succeed. I’ve witnessed the bravery of the Philippine Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police as they tackle the tough opponents of terrorism, crime, and worked to combat poverty. In times of natural disasters, our partnership with Filipinos –with the AFP, PNP, LGUs and with NGO groups – helped get relief to those in need whether in Manila, Northern Luzon, Iloilo or Bicol. The resiliency and compassion of Filipinos under the most difficult of circumstances is amazing and inspirational.

On a personal level, it has been a joy to hear the musically talented Filipinos. It has been great fun to share the Filipino passion for sports and to watch great college and professional basketball games. The legendary Filipino hospitality has welcomed me into homes across the country from the humblest provincial dwellings to the grandest Manila homes. I’ve learned from Filipinos to cherish family, no matter how great the distances between family members. I’ve learned from Filipinos to take time to celebrate the big and small moments in life and that in doing so, you create lasting memories.

President Obama has nominated Harry K. Thomas, Jr. to succeed me as the United States Ambassador to the Philippines. Harry Thomas is a career diplomat who has served as the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh and has held leadership positions in Washington, D.C. as well as key positions in U.S. Embassies in Latin America, Africa, and South Asia. He is an experienced diplomat who is also a close personal friend of mine. He will be a wonderful United States Ambassador to the Philippines, and I know Filipinos will give him a warm welcome. His nomination is now pending before the United States Senate, which must confirm him before he can assume his duties in Manila.

This will be my last blog post as the United States Ambassador to the Philippines. I thank all who were kind enough to read and comment on my blog. It has been a privilege to represent the United States in the Philippines. I thank Filipinos throughout the world for the kindness and friendship you have shared with me and so many other Americans. And I hope our paths will cross again. Let me close with an old Irish blessing that has always been a favorite of my Irish-American family:

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
May the rain fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

It seems like mere weeks ago that we started 2009, and yet we are now in the final days of the year. It has been a busy and productive year for the U.S. Embassy in Manila. We started the year with an “Inaugural Ball” in Manila to welcome the swearing in of the new President of the United States, Barack Obama. In the course of the year, Cabinet officials of the new American Government (Secretary Gates, Secretary Vilsack, and Secretary Clinton) traveled to the Philippines to meet their Filipino counterparts and President Obama met with President Arroyo at the White House.

President Obama signed legislation giving additional new benefits to Filipino World War II veterans early in 2010, and so our Embassy Veterans Affairs team has spent a busy year reaching out to veterans to be sure they know of this new benefit and apply for it. Any eligible Filipino World War II veteran can apply, but all applications must be received by February 16, 2010. Progress on our new Embassy facilities, to include a new Veterans clinic, picked up speed this year. As the year closes, we can now see the shape of our new buildings.

The devastating storms that swept the Philippines in the second half of the year affected our Embassy as well. Not only were many of our employees personally affected, but flooding on our Embassy grounds forced us to take a rare act for us — closing for a day to the public while we got electricity restored and facilities cleaned up. We also partnered with NGOs, U.S. businesses and the Philippine Government to provide relief goods, emergency food aid, as well as help with road clearing, medical support, and delivery of relief supplies. That work will continue into the new year, as we hope to reach communities in Luzon that have still not yet recovered from those storms.

On a personal level, 2009 had some great moments. The weddings of my brother and two other friends were wonderful and uplifting. I got to cheer along with millions of fans across the Philippines as Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao defeated two highly acclaimed boxing opponents. And I got to celebrate as CNN named Filipino Efren Peñaflorida the “Hero of the Year” for 2009. Those lovely moments were balanced with the death of my beloved Father-in-law, and the death of former Filipino President Cory Aquino.

Like so many others, I always make New Year’s resolutions. And although mine always include being more compassionate, more patient, and giving more back to others, I always add something new that I hope to try in the year ahead. It is my way to trying to grow as a person and to push myself in new directions. In 2008, I resolved to learn to scuba dive. And I succeeded. For 2009, I wanted to become a more confident diver to appreciate more fully the wonders of the Philippine seas. While I can’t say I fully succeeded, I can certainly give myself a passing grade for continuing to improve. For 2009, I also wanted to try some totally new experiences. So I tried (several times) to wind surf. I did manage to stand on the board, but clearly that resolution will carry over into 2010 since I can’t really say I succeeded. I’ve always admired professional dancers and got to try my hand at that as a guest performer on the Filipino TV program “Shall We Dance” this past year. It was exciting, and I learned just how hard professional dancers work. I think we all agreed that I should keep my day job. I am still thinking about what to try out during 2010. Ideas are welcome!

As we end one year and start another, I thank all those who have read my blog and have shared with me your thoughts and ideas. I hope each of you had a memorable 2009, and I wish for all of you a happy and healthy 2010. May your New Year be filled with many exciting surprises and many warm, happy moments. Happy New Year!

These last days of 2009 find us watching Mount Mayon volcano, whose eruption seems imminent. As an adopted daughter of Albay province, I have spent a lot of time there. I have celebrated U.S. Independence Day in the province and visited many times to see the work the United States does there in health care, environmental protection, and to promote our livelihood projects and efforts to assist local industries, such as the dairy industry.

Knowing of the presence of the active volcano, Mount Mayon, and that the Bicol region is often hit with natural disasters like typhoons, the United States has worked hard to help the area recover from previous natural disasters and to help plan to handle future natural disasters.

We provided $5 million to construct 900 houses and community centers in the wake of devastating typhoons in 2006 and 2007. We also worked with NGO groups to help communities prepare for natural disasters, and several American Peace Corps volunteers were placed in communities to help draw up disaster preparedness plans. I have even joined in mock disaster drills there. We donated relief goods, such as mosquito nets and tents, to evacuation centers. The U.S. and Filipino militaries worked together to help repair houses after natural disasters in the past two years. During the annual “Balikatan” exercises in 2009, our militaries again worked together in the Bicol region to improve roads, constructed schools, and dug wells in addition to providing free medical services to over 21,000 residents.

As we all watch for updates on the possible eruption of Mount Mayon, my thoughts are with my Albay “family” as they contemplate celebrating the holidays in evacuation centers. I am hoping that all our efforts together to prepare for natural disasters are helping families cope and plan. We urge American citizens to avoid travel to the area potentially affected by the volcano. And we will stay ready to see how we can best assist our good friends in Bicol if they need our help after the volcano erupts. My thoughts and prayers will be with those who live in the shadow of beautiful Mount Mayon as they prepare to face the fury of Mother Nature.

Regardless of which holiday you celebrate, the month of December is always a festive time. And no where more so than in the Philippines. In this Catholic country, Christmas decorations go up in September, and by December the sights of decorations and sounds of Christmas music are everywhere you go.

Of course, the U.S. Embassy in Manila shares in the festive spirit. We opened the month by officially lighting the traditional Filipino parols (a special kind of light/lantern) on our Embassy. The event was made truly memorable by the presence of Filipino-American TV and screen star Richard Gutierrez. Richard joined Embassy staff and kids in flipping the switch to officially start the holidays at the Embassy.

The all-hands Embassy holiday party soon followed. Munching on Filipino snacks, we were serenaded by Filipino singing stars Piolo Pasqual and Rachelle Ann Go. Embassy sections presented skits vying for the annual trophy for the best performance.

But the holidays aren’t all celebrations for the Embassy staff. We took school children from a flood-affected area to a basketball game to share holiday cheer. And we joined with the U.S. Marines to give more than ten tons of donated toys, clothes and school supplies to needy children in Manila and Angeles City. The smiles on the faces of the children were the wonderful gifts we received in return.

However you and your family celebrate this December, I hope the joy of the season fills your heart. Happy Holidays to all!

Earlier this week we managed to fit in visits to two different parts of the Philippines in the same day. Busy day, but schedules for the events found us hopping between two totally different islands.

I started the day with a pre-dawn departure from Manila airport. More than two hours later, I landed on Jolo in the Sulu Archipelago. Our purpose in being there was to formally inaugurate the new airport and a new water system, both built with USAID funds in partnership with local and national Filipino Government.

The new Jolo runway stretched smooth and gleaming as we landed. No more bouncing over potholes in the runway. Shortly after we arrived, the Philippine President landed in a far bigger plane, showing the capacity of the longer, smooth runway. And quite a crowd turned out for the event. Men, women and children — all excited about the potential to connect more easily with the rest of the Philippines. The ceremonies were short and sweet. No long speeches were necessary. Clean water and an airport to get people and products in and out of Jolo spoke for themselves. The crowd was upbeat and enthused. It was great to have the time to mingle and greet old and new friends.

After some simple sandwiches, we enjoyed a smooth departure and had a last look at the runway as we circled to head toward the city of Cebu, the largest city in the Visayas group of islands. After a coffee at Starbucks, we headed to the University of San Carlos to open a new “American Corner.” American Corners are a partnership between the Embassy and, usually, an academic institution. We provide up-to-date information about the United States (periodicals, books, and other reference materials) as well as access to thousands of databases. The American Corners are open to the public and operate free of charge. We all use them to host special programs featuring American holidays or special speakers from the United States. Recently, all 14 American corners in the Philippines were linked live to Secretary of State Clinton’s talk with Philippine university students in Manila.

At the University, a group of beautiful Cebuano dancers greeted us, and the festive atmosphere continued as we gathered to cut the ribbon. Students, teachers, librarians, press, and friends all cheered as we officially opened the American Corner and stayed around to browse, take photos, and enjoy Cebuano snacks.

I arrived back in Manila shortly after sundown, still glowing from the warm reception in two very different parts of the Philippines and two special events that marked great new beginnings.

This is a special year for the town of Baguio as they celebrate their 100th year. Designed by American architect Daniel Burnham, Baguio was picked to be the “summer” capital of the Philippines as its cool mountains and pine forests provided a welcome break from Manila’s summer heat.

Since those days, Baguio has retained its mountain charm but has grown in many different ways. Baguio is now home to several American companies and at least half a dozen major universities, giving the once-vacation capital a year-round bustle.

I spent last Thursday and Friday in Baguio. I had the honor of addressing the cadet corps of the Philippine Military Academy before stopping in for a quick lunch at one of the several McDonald’s franchises in Baguio. In the evening, I hosted a holiday reception to greet our many friends from Baguio and surrounding provinces. My guests included Governors, Mayors, businessmen, university leaders, NGO’s, veterans, American citizens, media, and U.S. Peace Corps volunteers. We all enjoyed the chance to talk in the relaxed Baguio setting.

Baguio and Northern Luzon were badly hit by storms and typhoons this year, so I wanted to see how things were progressing. We visited a relief logistics center used by Philippine Government and international relief organizations to collect donations from across the Philippines and across the world. From the center, goods are dispatched to areas throughout Northern Luzon still in need of relief assistance. I also visited communities that were nearly destroyed by devastating landslides. The devastation was awful but the strong will and community spirit remained strong. I met a young boy who was buried in mud for nearly eight hours but was dug out and survived. Young Cyrus was a bouncing, bright two year old whose resilience was a lesson to us all. We closed our visit announcing an additional $10 million donation from USAID in emergency food assistance for communities affected by the storms and typhoons.

In the United States, Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays. The Thanksgiving weekend is often the most traveled weekend of the year as Americans head home to celebrate the traditional Thanksgiving meal with family and friends. Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday and is always a time to give thanks for our blessings as we share a meal together.

Because I grew up in the Washington DC suburbs, my grandparents usually came from Michigan to visit us for Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving meal featured a mix of dishes from both sides of the family with some special requests always added for the eldest among us. My Grandpa Kenney always wanted creamed onions and beets. (I hated getting those beets put on my plate where the red juice would run into the other foods.) My Grandmothers made pies – pecan pie (my favorite), chocolate pie (for my little brother), pumpkin pie and fruit pie. And we always had turkey with gravy and stuffing. Naturally, we followed American tradition and watched football games while we recovered from over eating.

Since joining the diplomatic corps, I have celebrated Thanksgivings in many different countries as well as some celebrated back in the United States. No matter where I am, there is always a special meal, celebrated with friends and any family that might be around. We always have turkey, stuffing and gravy. And usually something that highlights the cuisine of the country where we are celebrating.

This year, I traveled from Manila to celebrate Thanksgiving lunch in Zamboanga with temporarily deployed U.S. troops. The makeshift dining hall was festooned with streamers and turkey cut-outs. In accordance with tradition, I served the food to our troops, joined by the most senior U.S. military officer present and visiting U.S. Congressman Bob Filner. Together with the Mayor of Zamboanga, Filipino military officials and other Zamboanga City officials, we all sat down to eat our fill of turkey, ham and roast beef. Naturally, Filipino fruit and desserts shared the stage with the traditional American fare. And although the setting may have been a long way away from my mother’s dining room, the spirit was just the same. We all laughed, shared family stories, ate too much, and gave thanks for the blessings of friends and family.

Unable to resist yet another turkey meal, I had a small group of Filipino and American friends over for a relaxed Thanksgiving dinner when I returned to Manila later in the evening. I ate more turkey, joined by Filipino chicken adobo, plus the traditional Kenney family pecan pie. The biggest laugh of the evening was the unexpected crash of the newly decorated Christmas tree as it leaned, tilted and then fell over just next to our dining table. And it felt just like being home with family.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. May you enjoy the blessings of family, friends and good food wherever you are!

The Peace Corps program in the Philippines is one of the oldest in the world. Since the program began here in the 1960s, more than 8,000 Volunteers have served in the Philippines fostering good relations and providing helping hands to communities. Today we have around 150 Peace Corps Volunteers serving in communities working in education (co-teaching English and IT skills), in environmental protection (building marine-protected areas and helping NGOs develop sustainable fishing projects) and in youth/family (working with children’s groups and with orphanages).

Peace Corps Volunteers typically spend their first several months in the Philippines in training — learning the local language, adapting to the culture and sharing practical ideas to use once they arrive at their sites. I visited some new Peace Corp trainees in Leyte province in late October, and we did this short video to let them show off their language skills.

Once they finish their training, the Peace Corps trainees take an oath of office as they are sworn in as fully functional Volunteers. During her recent visit to the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton personally administered the oath of office to the Volunteers and spoke to them about the importance of their work. She spoke of the great impact of their work on the lives of those around them and of the great personal journey of discovery and motivation that the Peace Corps Volunteers gain through their service.

“The American ideals that brought you to join the Peace Corps — including civic responsibility and empathy toward your fellow man — these are the ideals that will strengthen your work and bring success to your endeavors.

“To our Filipino counterparts, I would like to say thank you for opening your hearts and minds to these incredible opportunities for partnership, collaboration and friendship with our Volunteers.”

Once they arrive on site, the Volunteers work with community partners and supervisors and often live with or near host Filipino families. I call the Peace Corps Volunteers “Ambassadors” because they really act as Ambassadors for America in the communities where they live and work. The impact of their work touches and improves lives of those around them, whether through finding better ways for fisherman to sustain their fish stocks for years to come, or in coaching a youth soccer team in their off-hours. And every Volunteer has told me that the gifts they receive — of self-reliance, friendship, perseverance — far outweigh the service they give.

Secretary Clinton’s first day in Manila ended with a lovely and gracious dinner hosted by Philippine President Arroyo. The thirty guests ate local fish and fruit specialties while talking about world issues, cultural trends and sharing stories and laughs.

The next morning found her heading out super early for a live, televised “Townterview” with students from across the Philippines. Held at 400-year-old University of Santo Tomas, more than a thousand students from Manila universities packed the auditorium, all wearing school colors. Others participated via remote link from around the country and still others sent in questions via YouTube and text messages. Secretary Clinton was relaxed as she talked big global issues and Philippine issues. Her passion for the role of civil society in promoting peace, human rights and good governance was obvious. She also reflected with pride on serving her country and on being part of President Obama’s team. She laughed with the sports enthusiasts in the student crowd when describing her support for the not-so-victorious New York Knicks.

After shaking more hands and posing for more pictures, she took time to talk to a local radio DJ about the importance of voting and getting young voters engaged in elections.

The mood shifted more somber as she then headed to the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. That cemetery, built and maintained by the American Battlefield Monument Commission, hold graves of more than 17,000 World War II dead while the walls list the names of thousands more missing-in-action from World War II. Secretary Clinton laid a wreath at the cemetery and took a few moments to talk with World War II veterans who had come to the cemetery to greet her.

She then headed back across town, through the world famous Manila traffic, to the historic U.S. Embassy located on Manila Bay. There she swore in 68 new Peace Corps volunteers, telling them of the great service they provide to both the Philippines and the United States. She told them of the great tradition of the Peace Corps in the Philippines where more than 8,000 volunteers have served since the program began in the Philippines decades ago. She thanked the Filipino partners of the Peace Corps as well as the Filipino “host” families of the Peace Corps who were also there.

She ended her Manila visit with a short session with U.S. military temporarily deployed in the Philippines, hearing of their experiences and thanking them for serving our nation. And then she greeted her thousands of U.S. Embassy Filipino and American fans for whom she is the ultimate superstar!

Under a brilliant blue sky, Hillary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State landed in Manila. After a red carpet airport welcome, she headed straight to historic Goldenberg Mansion to meet with her counterpart, Alberto Romulo, the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

Goldenberg Mansion was built nearly 100 years ago and was furnished by former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos with gorgeous antiques and paintings from all over the world – including some original art works by renowned American artist “Grandma Moses.” The Government of the Philippines now uses it as a meeting and event venue. In this lovely setting, Secretary Clinton and Secretary Romulo were joined by their delegations on the second floor for a wide-ranging and friendly discussion that included the upcoming meeting in Singapore between President Obama and the leaders of ASEAN, U.S.-Philippine counterterrorism cooperation, and the December climate change conference in Denmark. Secretary Clinton congratulated the Philippines on the safe release earlier in the day of kidnapped Irish priest, Father Sinnott.

After their meeting, Secretary Clinton and Secretary Romulo met with members of the press to share their meeting conversation and answer questions. Secretary Clinton started the press conference highlighting the exceptional partnership between the Philippines and the United States. She focused on the people-to-people nature of our friendship that has endured over decades. She told the crowd of her sympathy and compassion for those who had suffered in the wake of recent typhoons and storms. And said she was proud that Americans and Filipinos had worked together to bring immediate relief to suffering communities.

No lunch time for the busy Secretary of State as we jumped in cars and drove across town to Marikina, a city within Metro Manila that was heavily devastated by flood and typhoons in recent months. We stopped at Malanday High School, which served as an evacuation site for flood victims despite being flooded up the second floor itself. But today, desperation gave way to celebration, with balloons flying, flags waving and bands playing. Thousands of cheering students greeted Secretary Clinton from every floor of the three-story building circling the center courtyard, creating a rock concert-like vibe. Secretary Clinton toured classrooms, together with the Philippine Secretary of Education and the Vice Principal, and heard from the city Mayor of the devastation suffered by residents.

Secretary Clinton then opened a “Book Fair” where teachers from flood-affected schools selected from among tens of thousands of books those that would best compliment their education program. The books were donated by a partnership between a U.S. NGO, “Brother’s Brother” and USAID. Addressing the students and teachers, the Secretary praised them for their resiliency and their spirit of helping each other. She announced a new U.S. relief donation of $5.2 million to assist schools and health clinics as they recover from the flooding and typhoon damage.

Not surprisingly, Secretary Clinton was unable to resist the energy and excitement of the students. Despite the mid-afternoon heat in the open courtyard, she stayed to talk with students, book shop with teachers, and pose for thousands of photos. She clearly would have stayed for hours despite the heat if her Ambassador (me!) hadn’t pulled her away. But I knew we had other events and more people waiting to meet Hillary Clinton.