FOREIGN Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., met on Friday with visiting United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) Minister for Asia Nigel Adams, MP, and discussed various aspects of Philippines-UK bilateral relations, including economic cooperation and the situation of Filipino healthcare workers in the Kingdom.
They also had frank exchange of views on regional and international issues such as climate change and ASEAN-UK relations.
Locsin and Adams affirmed the longstanding relations between the two countries and cited the launching of the Enhanced Partnership between the Philippines and the UK that will highlight the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2021.
The meeting was followed by a working lunch hosted by Locsin and attended by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Chief Implementor of the National Policy Against Covid-19 and Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez, and President of AstraZeneca Philippines Lotis Ramin.
There was an informative exchange on the Philippines’ response to the current pandemic and on the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University during the lunch.
Locsin was joined by DFA officials led by Ambassador Elizabeth Buensuceso, Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy while Minister Adams was joined by officials of the FCDO and UK Embassy in the Philippines led by Ambassador Daniel Pruce.
