MANILA (UPDATED) - A Filipino nurse in a care home in Surrey, England received an award from Queen Elizabeth for her courageous work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charito Leonardo-Romano, a staff nurse at Arbrook House Care Home, a private care home in Esher, Surrey, was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM). The award is given to community volunteers for their "meritorious" actions, according to the BBC.

“It’s really overwhelming and it’s really inspiring,” the 47-year old Leonardo-Romano said in an interview with ABS-CBN Europe.

The mother of three, who graduated with a degree in nursing from Wesleyan University in 1994 added: “A lot of nurses have died during the pandemic. I feel for them. They are really the true heroes but being awarded this shows that the UK is indeed a diversified country and is recognizing Filipinos and all nurses who give service to their people, our people.”

Romano said she wasn’t expecting the award. It came as a surprise. She later learned that her manager was the one who nominated her.

“I thanked him because it was a team effort. We only had one goal and that was to make our residents safe and well-looked after,” she said.

In another interview on ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo on Sunday, Romano shared that up to now, their care home is zero COVID. Romano started to work in Arbrook House Care Home two years ago. The private care home prides itself on protecting its residents from COVID infection.

"None of our [42] residents have contracted COVID," she said. “Isa pa, kung maalala niyo, may shortage ng PPE sa (If you can remember, there was a shortage of PPE in) England. It was so heartbreaking at the time that you are dealing with infection, you don’t have anything to use to protect you. We rallied, it was a team effort. All throughout the pandemic, none of our residents contracted COVID."

A native of Cabanatuan City, Romano migrated to the UK as nurse in 2002, where her family later joined her.

She said the recognition became even more meaningful after she survived COVID-19 in September 2020. Although she was asymptomatic, her whole family had to self-isolate and follow the quarantine protocol. She is also thankful for the support of her colleagues and the Filipino community who brought food in her house and offered help.

“I was one of those who tested positive. I was really scared. I didn’t have symptoms. I returned to work after 14 days. I tell you, when my family was isolating, it was mental torture. It was frightening,” she narrated.

She said she was inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 on Dec. 20, and is due for a second dose on Jan. 10.

• Filipino nurse in UK inoculated with COVID vaccine says it's 'safe'

"Kami po ang isa sa mga una. Yung iba, nagaagam-agam kung magpapabakuna nung ini-rollout po 'yun. It’s just an instinct to say yes," she said.

(We were among the first to be vaccinated. Others were second guessing whether to get vaccinated. It’s just an instinct to say yes.)

"Luckily po, wala. Syempre sa umpisa, it’s sore but otherwise wala po akong sintomas."

(Luckily, I had none. At first of course, it's sore, but otherwise I have no symptoms.)

British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce congratulated Romano via tweet.

His tweet said: “Many congratulations to staff nurse Charito Romano from the Philippines. Awarded British Empire Medal.

Two other Filipino healthcare workers were awarded by the Queen, Leonardo-Romano said, including Minnie Klepacz last October.

"Napaka-swerte natin dahil ang England, ini-embrace ang kultura ng Pinoy. Tayo ay kanilang pinagkakatiwalaan, at tayo ay kanilang kinakanlong sa kanilang bansa."

(We're really lucky because England embraces the Filipino culture. They trust us and they care for us in their country.)

Romano wants to share the award to her family, colleagues, fellow frontliners and the Filipino community in the UK, one of the communities gravely affected by COVID-19.

According to the Philippine embassy, some 88 Filipinos died of COVID-19, more than 50 are frontliners.

“Its always a challenge working in a foreign nation. I dedicate it to a lot of people. I cannot own it and of course, all glory to God,” she said.

- With a report from Rose Eclarinal, ABS-CBN Europe

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