President Rodrigo Duterte received Henry B. Howard, the Philippine honorary consul for the state of Florida and founding director of the US-Philippines Society, in a courtesy call in Malacañang.

Duterte thanked the American consul for visiting the country, a Palace statement said.

Howard, who has an extensive background in US-Philippine ties, first came to the country as an American Field Service (AFS) high school exchange student in Cagayan de Oro in 1974.

He was appointed as the Philippines’ honorary consul for the state of Florida in 2015.

He also became the President and Chief Executive Officer of the US Education Finance Group, an Advisory Board Member of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a member of the Board of Directors of the US-Philippines Society, among his other duties.

The US-Philippines Society aims to help create a new and timely mechanism for elevating the Philippines’ profile in the United States.

Howard, deeply involved in Philippine education, also established the Henry Howard Scholarship which graduated 44 scholars since its establishment in 2001.

Around 100 students have benefited from the scholarship by receiving tuition, dormitory, food, books, clothes, uniforms, and annual home or parental visit travel expenses.

The courtesy call took place before the scheduled Cabinet meeting in Malacañang. (PNA)