Mohamed Alqataam of United Arab Emirates

"The best thing I love about the Philippines is the hospitality and sincere kindness I've experienced from the Filipino people. They treat me like family and the Philippines feels like my second home. This is one of my unforgettable assignments outside my home country, UAE."

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Ambassador Megawati Manan is such a humble, lovable and down-to-earth diplomat of the oil-rich country of Brunei. I first met her lining up, like other guests, to watch the concert of Korean superstar Ahn Hyoseop at the MOA. This is how she relaxes when not busy with her job at strengthening Brunei-Philippines relations.

Would you like to meet a UAE national who understands and speaks Tagalog very well? That's Ambassador Mohamed Alqataam, the charming and handsome diplomat who can answer you in Tagalog which he learned to speak from his staff. He notes the hardworking and brilliant presence of Filipinos in his country. Aside from international relations and economics, he is also interested in music, as he frequently attends the Goldenberg Series of cultural events spearheaded by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

Banana Republic is not just a clothing brand. It is a concept rooted in literature, history and politics.