FVR: Soldier, Warrior, Diplomat, Strategist, Peacemaker, Nation Builder, Statesman

Fidel Valdez Ramos, the 12th President of the Philippines, is best remembered for his ability to lead and his willingness to be led—not by astute advisors and political strategists, but by the people whom he served, and served well. He was one of the country’s best presidents ever. Ramos was a soldier, warrior, diplomat, author, strategist, peace advocate, nation builder, and statesman. His public service spanned a total period of 51 years.

Steadfastly and faithfully, Ramos promoted the principles of people empowerment and a culture of excellence that both led to global competitiveness during his term as President from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998.

History appreciates him for eight things:

1) For believing that democracy and development go together. There is no need for strongman rule to achieve progress;

2) Helping depose his own second cousin, Ferdinand Edralin Marcos after 20 years in power in which he helped pursue Marcos’s authoritarian objectives:

3) Saving Corazon Cojuangco Aquino from eight coup attempts during her presidency, from February 1986 to June 30, 1992. The coups weakened her presidency and made her a captive of the military;

4) Quickly restoring power to a nation besieged by 12 to 18-hour blackouts at the peak of the power crisis during Corazon Aquino’s time;

5) As a peacemaker. He reached out to all kinds of rebels –the military coup plotters led by army Col. Gregorio Honasan, the Muslim rebels led by Nur Misuari, and the guerillas of the New People’s Army of the Communist Party of the Philippines whose armed strength had grown to 35,000 regulars. The effort brought peace, enabled FVR to attract record levels of investments, and saved the country from recession and the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

6) Breaking up the telco, power, and water utilities monopolies;

7) Visioning a newly industrialized country (NIC) status for the Philippines by making it a tiger economy; and

8) His work ethic (he was the most hardworking president) and dictum of CSM—complete staff work.

Since 1969, the Philippines had harbored the world’s longest communist insurgency, and since 1972, the world’s longest Muslim separatist insurgency. While communist insurgency dwindled to historic lows, Ramos achieved a peace agreement with military rebels (RAM, ALTAS, YOU) in October 1995 and the MNLF southern secessionists in September 1996 which won for him (together with Chairman Nur Misuari) and the Philippines the coveted 1997 UNESCO Peace Prize—the first for Asians. He also worked out a modus vivendi with Congress whose members quickly joined his Rainbow Coalition. The deals brought peace to the land and enabled Ramos to attract foreign investments and legislate the most far-reaching social and economic reforms through the passage of major pieces of legislation.

Ramos then pursued programs to fight poverty in accordance with the will of the Filipino people expressed by 229 structural/reform laws enacted by Congress from 1992 to 1998. Ramos exemplified the leader who always looked toward the strategic future and whose thumbs-up optimism—captured in descriptive phrases like “Caring, Sharing and Daring,” “Philippines 1500” and “Pole-vaulting”—propelled the economy and social welfare. He exuded positive energy that seems to burst from his cool and at times steely demeanor.

During the years 1993-1997, the Philippine economy recovered dramatically and a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) was implemented that addressed long-standing problems regarding poverty, health, education and skills training, housing, environmental protection, children and the youth, the elderly and the handicapped, jobs and livelihood, agrarian reform and access to equal opportunity.

Gross National Product growth averaged 5% annually. The total inflow of foreign exchange into the country outpaced forex inflows of the combined periods of rule of both Presidents Marcos and Cory Aquino. Average income of the Filipino family grew more during his administration than in the preceding two decades. He pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy. FVR encouraged the privatization of public entities, to include the modernization of public infrastructure through the expanded Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law.

Ramos also served as secretary of national defense (1988-1991) and chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (1986-1988) with the rank of general (4 Stars). His military/law enforcement service of more than 40 years was capped by the peaceful, non-violent People Power Revolution at EDSA in February 1986 which threw out a dictatorial regime. In retirement, the genial general was always on the go throughout the Philippines, mobilizing the citizenry and pushing the “best practices” of Unity of Purpose, Solidarity in Values and Teamwork in Nation-building at every opportunity.