President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has recognized a Filipino-British nurse, who administered the world's first Covid-19 vaccine, for bringing honor to the country. President Marcos and Filipino-British nurse May Richell Cestina-Parsons meet in Malacañang on June 29, 2023. (RTVM Screenshot)
During a courtesy call in Malacañang, Marcos bestowed a Presidential Citation to May Richell Cestina-Parsons "in recognition of her exemplary contributions, dedication to service, and exceptional leadership." The citation also recognizes Parsons for "bringing honor and prestige to the Philippines and the Filipino people" and for her "steadfast efforts in promoting and advocating for the Philippines, Filipino nurses, and other healthcare professionals." Parsons administered the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to 90-year-old Margaret Keenan, who also became the first person to receive the jab, at a hospital in Coventry, England on Dec. 8, 2020. She was the first one to administer the vaccine outside of clinical trials. Born and raised in the Philippines, Parsons finished her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila.  In 2003, she flew to the United Kingdom to work for the National Health Service (NHS). In July last year, she received on behalf of the NHS the prestigious George Cross award – the British government’s highest non-military award for gallantry — presented by the late Queen Elizabeth II in honor of the NHS work over the past seven decades, and all the health leaders and workers from across the UK for their service throughout the pandemic. Parsons is set to establish a charity to help her fellow Filipino nurses, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to achieve Nursing qualification throughout their career paths locally or abroad. She made a courtesy call to the President on Thursday, June 29.