Queen Elizabeth II rewarded the British Empire Medal to a Filipino driver for his 33-years of service for the British envoys to the Philippines.
Roland Quitevis, a native from Ilocos Sur, started working for the British Embassy when he was 22 after he moved to Manila. He was sixth of the eight children. He first began as a messenger and due to hard-work he was promoted to be the official driver of the Ambassador. Since then, Quitevis took every opportunity given to him to improve his skills behind the wheel. He even took comprehensive driving courses in the UK way back in 1999 and 2003.
He has been the official driver for eight UK ambassadors as well as several members of the United Kingdom’s Royal Family during their visits to the Philippines.
“I am delighted to announce that Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II has honored Mr Roland Quitevis with the British Empire Medal for his services to UK-Philippine Relations,” British Ambassador to the Philippines Daniel Pruce posted via the offical Facebook page of the embassy.
In a Facebook post, Quitevis expressed his gratitude for the opportunity given to him by the Queen. “I remember being so grateful for the opportunity, which is why I have always loved every single day of it—come monsoon rains, heavy Manila traffic and day-to-day encounters with British Embassy staff in action,” Quitevis says.
“I have also been so honored to be able to drive for some members of the Royal family. These include three visits by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, two visits by Princess Anne, and a visit by Prince Charles,” he continues. “It has been such a memorable experience to me to meet each one in person. In fact, during the most recent visit of Princess Anne to the country, she commented that I was very young when she first came to Manila and visited the indigenous community in Clark in the aftermath of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption. For me, every moment with all the ambassadors has been unforgettable, as they have treated me like family and always with utmost respect.”
He also said that being awarded with the Honorary British Empire Medal is the “defining moment” of his 33-year career with the British embassy.
