Background
Fidel Valdez Ramos was born on March 18, 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan, to Narciso Rueca Ramos and Ángela Marcos Valdez.
(A collection of speeches by the former President of the P...)
A collection of speeches by the former President of the Phillippines outlines the political and social philosophy behind his leadership during a remarkable six-year economic recovery in the island nation, from the brink of disaster to a new era of prosperity and stability.
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Fidel Valdez Ramos was born on March 18, 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan, to Narciso Rueca Ramos and Ángela Marcos Valdez.
Fidel Ramos received elementary education in Lingayen Public Schools. Ramos began secondary education at the University of the Philippines High School in the City of Manila, and continued in the High School Department of Mapúa Institute of Technology. He graduated high school from Centro Escolar University Integrated School in 1945. He later obtained his degree in Civil Engineering at National University in Manila.
Afterwards he went to the United States and he graduated from the United States Military Academy, with Bachelor of Science in Military Engineering and the University of Illinois, with a master's degree in civil engineering. He also holds a master's degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines and a master's degree in Business Administration from Ateneo de Manila University. In addition, he received a total of 29 honorary doctorate degrees.
In his military career, Ramos rose from 2nd Lieutenant infantry platoon leader in the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) in 1952 during the Korean War to Chief of Staff of the Philippine Civil Action Group to Vietnam from 1966 to 1968. He is instrumental in founding the Philippine Army Special Forces, an elite paratroop unit skilled in community development as well as fighting communist insurgents.
Ramos, along with the Philippines' 20th Battalion Combat Team and his fellow West Point graduates of the 1950s, fought in the Korean War. Ramos was one of the heroes of the Battle of Hill Eerie, where he led his platoon to sabotage the enemy in Hill Eerie. He was also present in the Vietnam War as a non-combat civil military engineer.
Fidel Ramos served the president Marcos regime for more than 20 years. He was head of the Philippine Constabulary, the country's national police force, and was one of the Marcos' trusted advisers. He was a member of the infamous Rolex 12, an elite group of conspirators loyal to Marcos himself.
When it became apparent that Marcos rigged the 1986 snap Presidential Elections, Ramos, together with Marcos' Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, changed allegiance and sided with opposition leader Corazon Aquino This marked the beginning of the People Power Revolution, and their move became the living symbol of military defiance against Marcos. The military followed his lead and swung the pendulum in Aquino's favor.
After Aquino assumed the Presidency, she appointed Ramos Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and later Secretary of National Defense. During this time, Ramos personally handled the military operations that crushed seven coup attempts against the Aquino government. After the coup, the National Unification Commission was created, and its chairman Haydee Yorac, together with Ramos, recommended to President Aquino the granting of amnesty to the rebel military officers of the Reform the Armed forces Movement (RAM) led by Col. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan.
In December 1991, Ramos declared his candidacy for President. He however, lost the nomination of the dominant party Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) to House Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr. Days later, he bolted LDP and founded the Partido Lakas ng Tao (People Power Party), inviting Cebu Governor Emilio Mario Osmeña as his Vice President.
On May 11, 1992, Fidel Ramos won the seven-way race, narrowly defeating popular Agrarian Reform Secretary Miriam Defensor Santiago. Despite winning, he garnered only 23. 58% of the vote, the lowest plurality in the country's history. The election results were marred by allegations of fraud.
At the time of his assumption into power, Ramos was the oldest person to become President of the Philippines at the age of 64. He was also the only Filipino officer in history to have held every rank in the Philippine military from Second Lieutenant to Commander-in-Chief. The first few years of his administration (1992–1995) were characterized by economic boom, technological development, political stability and efficient delivery of basic needs to the people.
Under Ramos, the Philippines experienced a period of political stability and rapid economic growth and expansion, as a result of his policies and programs designed to foster national reconciliation and unity. Ramos was able to secure major peace agreements with Muslim separatists, communist insurgents and military rebels, which renewed investor confidence in the Philippine economy. Ramos also aggressively pushed for the deregulation of the nation's major industries and the privatization of bad government assets. As a result of his hands-on approach to the economy, the Philippines was dubbed by various internationally as Asia's Next Economic Tiger.
However, the momentum in the economic gains made under his administration was briefly interrupted during the onset of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Nevertheless, during the last year of the term, the economy managed to make a rebound since it was not severely hit by the crisis as compared to other Asian economies. He also oversaw the Philippine Centennial Independence celebrations in 1998.
After his presidency, Ramos remained one of the many influential political leaders in the Philippines.
In January 2001, Fidel Ramos was instrumental in the success of the so-called second EDSA Revolution that deposed the properly elected Philippine president Joseph Estrada and placed then-Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the presidential seat.
He served as the Carlyle Group Asia Advisor Board Member until the board was disbanded in February 2004.
At present, as a private citizen, Ramos is engaged in various private sector advocacies where he plays prominent roles. These include: Chairman, Ramos Peace and Development Foundation; Chairman, Boao Forum for Asia; Trustee, International Crisis Group (ICG); Member, Advisory Group, UN University for Peace; Honorary Director, General Douglas MacArthur Foundation; Founding Member, Policy Advisory Commission, World Intellectual Property Organization (PAC-WIPO); Honorary Member, World Commission on Water for the 21st Century; Member, International Advisory Council, Asia House; Patron, Opportunity International (Philippines); Global Advisor, University of Winnipeg; Honorary Chairman, Yuchengco Center, De La Salle University; Member, Advisory Board, Metrobank; Honorary President, Human Development Network (HDN) Philippines; Lifetime Honorary President, Christian Democrats International (CDI); and Chairman Emeritus, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) Party.
(A collection of speeches by the former President of the P...)
(Book number 7 of a collection of speeches about the futur...)
(A collection of speeches on citizenship and civics by the...)
(Signed books)
(pp. xlv 337. Signed and inscribed by the Fidel Valdez Ram...)
Quotations:
"If there is a plot of conspiracy, then an immediate investigation must take place to determine whether an actual crime was committed. "
"The process of not giving it to the Cabinet for review means that that whole thing was pre-cooked. "
"On the other had, no elections will bring our country to the worst category of not free. I'm sure this is not what the Filipino people want. "
Currently, Fidel Valdez Ramos belongs to over fourteen international organizations. On 12 April 2002, he was elected Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). He is founder and Chairman of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation.
On October 21, 1954, Fidel Ramos married Amelita Martinez, together they have five daughters.
General, President of the Philippines, Secretary of National Defense, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Chief of the Philippine Constabulary