New US ambassador to PH Lee Lipton now in Manila

Lee Lipton, the new United States ambassador to the Philippines, has arrived in Manila to start his tour of duty, the US Embassy said Sunday.

"Mabuhay and welcome back to the Philippines, U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton! We look forward to your leadership as we continue to mark #USPH80 and #Freedom250. #FriendsPartnersAllies," the embassy said in a post on social media.

US President Donald Trump appointed Lipton as the new ambassador to the Philippines in October last year, replacing MaryKay Carlson, who was US envoy to the country for more than three years.

Lipton, a businessman from Florida, is the first non-career American diplomat to be appointed to Manila in recent history.

He was the Interim Permanent Representative to the United States Mission to the Organization of American States when he was appointed by Trump in October 2025.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Lee's appointment is a "good indication" as he is a close friend of Trump.

Romualdez and Lipton met in May in the US to discuss ways to reinforce bilateral economic engagement.

They also discussed the “longstanding and enduring alliance between the Philippines and the United States,” including opportunities to further strengthen bilateral economic engagement, security cooperation, people-to-people ties, and regional collaboration, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC said.

Romualdez and Lipton also stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in emerging strategic sectors like the processing of critical minerals, energy cooperation, advanced manufacturing, and resilient supply chains.

The Philippines’ 2026 chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the country’s candidacy for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) were also tackled.

Before entering public service, Lee funded and led a successful apparel business in New York City, overseeing the design, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of licensed collections for globally recognized brands such as Calvin Klein, St. John Knits, and Guess.

After selling his company to a publicly traded firm, he transitioned into the hospitality industry, owning several oceanfront restaurants. His landmark restaurants remain among the highest-volume establishments in Palm Beach County in Florida.

Lee holds a bachelor’s degree from Bryant University. He and his wife of 45 years have two sons. —KG, GMA News