Marcos fetes Pinay nurse for her pandemic work

MANILA, Philippines — Charito Leonardo-Romano, a Filipino nurse based in the United Kingdom who was conferred the British Empire Medal for her service during the COVID-19 pandemic, met President Marcos at Malacañang on Tuesday.

Romano and fellow Filipino nurse Xyza Aura Macutay-Malloch were bestowed the British Empire Medal by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2021.

In a Facebook post, Marcos thanked Romano for her contribution and reiterated his support for health care workers.

Romano is a staff nurse at the Arbrook House Care Home in Esher, England. The first person in the world to administer a peer-reviewed COVID vaccine is also a Filipina nurse in the UK, May Parsons.