Canadian Ambassador Peter MacArthur went an extra mile to make Vice President Leni Robredo feel welcome during their lunch on Tuesday, March 2, by serving Pili nuts, which is indigenous to Bicol Region, in their menu.
Robredo, who is a Bicolano, gushed about seeing Pili nuts in two of the dishes served to her. She is a native of Naga City, Camarines Sur.
MacArthur hosted a lunch reception for Robredo in her honor at his residence in Makati City.
The vice president shared photos of their lunch in a Facebook post. They were joined by Danish Ambassador Grete Sillasen, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, and Helene Girard, a minister-counsellor from
the Embassy of Canada.
“ Super touched that Pili nuts was featured in a couple of items in the menu. Appreciate thoughtful gestures such as this,” Robredo wrote.
“The Ambassador (MacArthur) has several Bicolanos in his household staff and they are always there to greet me whenever I come and visit,” she added.
During their lunch meeting, Robredo said they discussed “our many initiatives to promote our shared values and advocacies.”
Among which were issues concerning women empowerment, gender equality, environment and climate change, and disaster resilience.
MacArthur was ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste from 2016-2019 before his appointment last February 7, 2020 to the Philippines.