For new United Kingdom Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils, the top item on her to-do list is no other than a face mask.
But this face mask is not ordinary because she wants to wear one resembling the Philippine flag.
Shortly after her meeting with members of the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) in the UK, Beaufils was mindful of wearing a face mask when she departed for the Philippines on Friday, August 13.
The use of face mask by Filipinos has been required in outdoor areas as protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“Thank you for your lovely message @dence10. We are on route to the airport now! I need to get face masks like yours when I get to Manila,” she tweeted in response to @PNA_UKnurses deputy chair Dennis Singson.
Singson told Beaufils that she has “such a warm and engaging personality and I’m certain Pinoy will (heart emoticon) u (you).”
The British female diplomat will succeed Daniel Pruce as the new ambassador to the Philippines.
READ: Lady diplomat is new UK ambassador to PH; assumes post in August
Beaufils served as the deputy director for Middle East and North Africa of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
In a previous Twitter post, Beaufils said that she is looking forward to continue the work of Pruce in strengthening the ties between the UK and the Philippines.
“It will be an honor to build on the work of @DanielPruce and his talented team to further strengthen our important ties and friendships,” she said.
The UK has pledged to donate 100 million vaccines overseas by June 2022, 80 million of which will go to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX facility.
The Philippines is among the countries which the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) identified as the first recipients of the vaccine, mostly developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca.
On Aug. 2, the UK donated 415,040 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to the Philippines to boost the government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive.