British-Filipina BEM awardee elected to Tetbury Town Council
- Published
A British-Filipina New Year Honours awardee has been elected to Tetbury Town Council.
Xyza Macutay-Malloch, also known as Xam, gained 813 votes, the highest of the four candidates, and will take office on 26 February.
The care home manager said she was "very excited" to have been elected as an independent councillor.
"I'm looking forward to working with these lovely people and making changes. It's time to give something back."
Ms Macutay-Malloch is well known in the local community as manager of the residential care home, Kingsley House.
She was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year Honours list in 2021 for her work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
She also started a Tuesday Club for older residents in the town and is keen to create more opportunities for people to get together.
"I was privileged to have been welcomed by the people of Tetbury when I emigrated here from the Philippines 14 years ago," she said.
"My priority now is what's good for the community."
Ms Macutay-Malloch said town councillors have already been searching her out to join their various committees.
Councillor Kevin Painter said of her appointment: "I am delighted with what she will bring to the council as she is a person of great principle and with her work comes her great compassion, along with her amazing business acumen.
"Thank goodness the town got it right and they will have a councillor they deserve and need."
Ms Macutay-Malloch said she is proud of her heritage and is vice chair of Filipinos in Care, an organisation which offers support to Filipinos working in the care industry.
She will be the third active councillor of Filipino descent to serve across the United Kingdom.
She joins joins Raymond Padilla, the Conservative cabinet member on Gloucester City Council and councillor Myla Arceno, the Labour mayor in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
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