MANILA, Philippines - The much-anticipated annual Queen’s Birthday Party was hosted for the first time by recently designated British Ambassador Asif Ahmad and his lovely wife Zubeda. The Tagalog-speaking envoy put his own spin on the annual event, eschewing his residence in favour of the British School Manila and transforming the school’s gymnasium into an elegant party place worthy of a Royal celebration.
Iconic UK tourist attractions such as Big Ben and red telephone booths greeted the guests at the entrance. Guests were treated to a digital exhibit of Her Majesty The Queen’s photographs that span her reign of over 62 years. British pop hits played in the background courtesy of a string quartet that regaled the crowd with well-loved tunes from the Beatles, Coldplay and even James Bond movies. To beat the summer heat, free-flowing Magnum ice cream was served alongside traditional British food such as fish and chips, Scotch eggs and sticky toffee pudding enjoyed by the guests, which included US Ambassador Philip Goldberg and EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux.
During his speech, Ambassador Ahmad expressed delight in the growing people-to-people links as evidenced by the 40% increase in the number of tourist visas. Ambassador Ahmad also underscored the deepening links between the UK and the Philippines, concluding with this assurance, “We are here as a friend of the Philippines. We are with you in fair weather and in turbulent times.â€