Queen Elizabeth II has conferred the British Empire Medal on a Filipino who, for 33 years, chauffeured British ambassadors to the Philippines and members of the royal family during their visits in Manila.
“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. This is a thoroughly well-deserved recognition of Roland’s long service at the embassy, mostly spent as the Ambassador’s driver,” said British Ambassador Daniel Pruce.
Quitevis, a native of Ilocos Sur, started as a messenger for the British embassy at age 22 when he first moved to Manila, according to the embassy.
After being regularized, he obtained the necessary skills and was promoted to become the official driver of the ambassador.
Throughout his three-decade service, Quitevis said he was accorded multiple opportunities which helped him develop his skills, including two comprehensive driving courses that he took in the United Kingdom in 1999 and in 2013.
The British Empire Medal is awarded for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. It was created in 1922 to replace the original medal, which had been established in 1917 as part of the Order of the British Empire.
Recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the Order of the British Empire.(P.L.Brago, PS)