Above: (L-R) Ambassador Manalo with Chloe Smith MP (center) and Thorpe St. Andrew Town Mayor John Ward

(Norwich, 10 March 2012) – To mark Queen Elizabeth II’s diamond jubilee year, Philippine Ambassador to the UK Enrique Manalo j

oined a tree-planting ceremony and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in Norwich recently. The ceremony was organized by the Town Council of Thorpe St. Andrew and Economic Secretary to the Treasury and Norwich North MP Chloe Smith.

Ms. Smith gave a warm welcome to the Ambassador and was pleased to have had the

opportunity “to show off the best of Norwich, in and around the city.”

Ambassador Manalo noted that his was the first working visit by a Filipino official since formal diplomatic relations began over 60 years ago.

“We have a sizeable Filipino community in Norwich and a number of them work as nurses in the city’s largest hospital. My visit coincides with our consular outreach activity, which allows the Embassy to visit Filipino communities around the country to provide consular services so that Filipinos do not need to travel to London”, said Ambassador Manalo.

“In light of the importance of continuing the close relationship between Norwich and the Philippines, I also invited Ms. Smith to join the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Philippines (APPG-Philippines), which she said she would closely study,” added the Ambassador.

Thorpe St. Andrew is one of the suburbs of Norwich City.

Ambassador Manalo planted a Leeder’s Perfection, a yellow apple tree endemic in Postwick, Norfolk.

The APPG-Philippines is a group of British parliamentarians from different political parties that advance and support the bilateral relations between the Philippines and the United Kingdom. It is currently chaired by Mark Pritchard MP of the Conservative Party.

Above: Ambassador Manalo plants an apple sapling while MP Smith, Town Mayor Ward and other attendees look on.