Jose Manuel "Babe" del Gallego Romualdez (born November 8, 1947) is a Filipino journalist, publisher and business executive who is the current Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States. He previously served as Special Envoy of President Rodrigo Duterte to the United States. Early life and education Romualdez was born on November 8, 1947 in Manila to Alberto Romualdez Sr., a former secretary general of the World Medical Association, and Covadonga del Gallego, a former chair of the Pathology Department of the University of Santo Tomas Hospital. His siblings include former Secretary of Health Alberto Romualdez Jr. and footballer Johnny Romualdez. He is also the nephew of former House Speaker Daniel Z. Romualdez and is related to former First Lady Imelda Marcos, with her children: Imee, Bongbong, Irene and Aimee being his second cousins. On his mother's side, his maternal grandfather was a Spanish explorer named Don Juan del Gallego who founded the town of Del Gallego, Camarines Sur. His uncle Manuel del Gallego became governor of Camarines Sur in the 1940s. He is also related to actress Heart Evangelista through her mother, Maria Cecilia del Gallego-Payawal. He went to Ateneo de Manila University Grade School from 1954 to 1962 and to Ateneo de Manila University High School from 1962 to 1965. In 1965, he and his family moved to New York City after his father's election to the World Medical Association. There, he studied at Forest Hills High School from 1965 to 1966. During this time, Romualdez worked as a part-time waiter in Manhattan and as a grocery-boy at an A&P supermarket in Queens. Romualdez returned to the Philippines in 1966 where he went to De La Salle College. In 1970, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the university. Career Right after graduating college, Romualdez started working as a TV newscaster and then anchor for NewsWatch, a newscast television program that aired on Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS). He rose to become executive assistant to the station's chairman of the board, and eventually was president and vice chairman of the board of the Television Corporation of the Philippines. In 1989, he coordinated the media group for the official visit of then-Vice President Salvador Laurel to the United States. He also coordinated then-President Joseph Estrada's working visit to the U.S. in 1999. He was also a member of the business delegation of presidents Ramos during