Charito Romano, a nurse from the Philippines, was included in Queen Elizabeth 2nd’s New Year Honors list for her contribution to the coronavirus response.

In a tweet on Saturday, United Kingdom (UK) Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce congratulated the Filipina and cited her “outstanding” services to nursing care in Surrey.

“Many congratulations to Staff Nurse Charito Romano, from the Philippines, (she had been) awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours for her outstanding work at Arbrook House Care Home in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic,” the envoy said.

A British Empire Medal (BEM) is given to individuals for “hands-on” service to the local community.

This could be a long-term charitable or voluntary activity, or innovative work of a relatively short duration that has made a significant difference.

Last October, Filipina nurse Minnie Klepacz was also given a BEM for her “tireless work to support her colleagues and community” during the pandemic.

Klepacz, a matron for ophthalmology, leads the hospital’s Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Citing a March 2019 report on the NHS’ (National Health Service) workplace diversity, the Philippine Embassy in the UK earlier said close to 19,000 Filipinos serve the foreign country’s public health system either as medical professionals such as nurses and allied health professionals or as support staff. CURRENTPH