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| President Fidel V. Ramos : Mar 18, 1928 - July 31, 2022 |
Former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, known to many as FVR, died at the age of 94 on Sunday, Jul 31.
Members of his family
confirmed his death but gave no further details.
However, a longtime military
aide said the late president had been in and out of the hospital due to a heart
condition and had suffered dementia. He passed away at the Makati Medical
Centre in the company of relatives.
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The Ramos family said in a
statement, “We thank you all for respecting our privacy, as the family takes
some time to grieve together…We will announce wake and funeral arrangements in
the near future.”
Ramos was the Philippines’ 12th
president, having served from 1992 to 1998. Before being elected to the top
post, he was also chief of the Philippine Constabulary and chief-of-staff of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
He gained prominence for helping
topple former dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr., his second-degree cousin, from
his 20-year rule, in 1986.
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Ramos was narrowly elected
president six years later, replacing Corazon Aquino who took over from Marcos
after the People Power revolt.
Though he won less than 23
percent of the vote, Ramos quickly gained widespread public approval, garnering
66 percent support during his incumbency. His presidency is still remembered
for bringing peace, stability and growth to the country.
Marcos’ son, the Incumbent
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., quickly issued a statement of sympathy to the
Ramos family.
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"Our family shares the
Filipino people's grief on this sad day. We did not only lose a good leader but
also a member of the family," Marcos, Jr. said.
"The legacy of his
presidency will always be cherished and will be forever enshrined in the hearts
of our grateful nation."
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| FVR speaking to HK reporters before heading on to China, where he was a frequent visitor |
Before becoming the head of
the national police force during Marcos Sr.’s rule, Ramos was a decorated war
hero, having fought in wars in Korea and Vietnam.
Ramos was born on March 18,
1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan, the son of a lawmaker and diplomat and a
teacher. He graduated from the US Military Academy in West Point in 1950 and
earned a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois
the following year.
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According to the Ramos
Foundation, he earned two more master’s degrees afterwards: in national
security from the National Defense College in 1969; and in business
administration from Ateneo de Manila University in 1980.
Through all these, he held
every rank in the Philippine army until he became commander-in-chief in 1992.
His six-year administration is
well remembered for its policy of opening the country’s economy to foreign
investment through deregulation and liberalization, and for breaking up
monopolies in the transportation and communications sectors.
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Through special powers
granted to him by Congress, he rehabilitated the energy sector, ending frequent
and hours-long power outages in the country. Journalists also credit him for
keeping an open line to them and being tolerant of public criticism.
As a result, the economy
surged and poverty rates fell from 39 percent to 31 percent.
While he eventually became a
hero to many for defecting from Marcos Sr’s government, others would not forget
his role in enforcing iron-fist rule during the dark years of martial law under
the dictatorship.
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Ramos, the country’s only Protestant
president, was well known for being indefatigable, going on daily jogs and playing
golf regularly until he was well over 80 years old.
But what most people would remember him
for was his habit of going about his daily activities - while chomping on
cigars he never lit.
Ramos is survived by his wife Ming and
their four daughters. Their second child, also a daughter, passed away in 2011.
