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Pinoy Abroad

Pinoy nurse, town councilor honored in UK


A Filipino clinical nurse and a town councilor in the United Kingdom were honored last week for their special contribution to the British society. The Philippine Embassy on July 26 formally recognized nurse Junjun Medran and East Grinstead Town Councilor Danny Favor for their exemplary achievements and for being a source of pride for the Philippines. "Our two compatriots have given huge pride to the Filipino nation and I am sure they will inspire others to follow in their footsteps," Philippine Chargé d'Affaires Rey Catapang said at a July 26 ceremony, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). There are an estimated 250,000 Filipinos living in the UK, making them the largest Filipino community in Europe. Nurse of the Year Medran was conferred the much-coveted "Nurse of the Year" award at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals 2011 Star Awards last month, the DFA said. A native of Mindoro Oriental, he first arrived in the UK in 1999, and had been a runner-up "Nurse of the Year" in 2010. He is now a clinical site manager at the Royal Surrey County Hospital where there are some 200 Filipino nurses. The DFA said Medran bested some 80 other nominees in the category, most of them British nationals. It said Medran's "God-centred values" and "Filipino compassion" were cited as the key traits that won him the award. The DFA noted Medran has been described by the awards committee and the voters as being "kind, approachable and always ready to listen to any problem and always makes an effort to solve them." Town Councilor Meanwhile, Favor was elected Town Councillor for East Grinstead Ashplats in May 2011, as a Conservative Party candidate. He garnered 893 votes largely from British supporters. "It was the first time that a Filipino won a public election in the UK," the DFA said. Favor arrived in the UK in 2000 to work as a nurse. He quickly rose from being a Filipino community leader to a cross-cultural public servant in the quaint and historic town in southeast England. East Grinstead has a population of approximately 20,000, with a very small ethnic minority population. There are some 300 Filipinos in the area, but only 20 are registered to vote in UK elections. According to Favor, Filipinos in the UK have a great potential to become leaders. He had cited Filipinos' "work ethic, willingness to serve and firm commitment to do what they promise." Favor also said that "under the right circumstances" he would consider running for a national position. A native of Camarines Sur, Favor was also recognized with a Service Improvement Award in March this year for his work as a nurse practitioner in Queen Victoria Hospital, West Sussex. - VVP, GMA News

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