Fidel Ramos

Bago pa nahirang na pangulo nuong Hunyo 30, 1992, natupad na niya ang
pinakamalaking tungkulin niya sa bayan. Naiwasan ang digmaan at nanatiling malaya ang
Pilipinas. Gaya ngunit higit sa mga magiting ng baranggay nuong panahon ng mga
magdaragat, si Fidel Ramos ay isang magiting ng bayan. Sa kanyang walang maliw na
pagtangkilik kay Pangulo Cory Aquino nagapi ang paghahari ng mga nag-kudeyta-kudeyta
nang walang puknat, at nanaig ang pamahalaan ng mga tao. Sa kanyang mahinahong paraan,
hindi naganap ang digmaan ng mga magkabayan [civil war] na malamang hangad ng mga
nais maging diktador gaya ni Ferdinand.
Sapat na iyon upang tanghalin siyang bayani. Ang iba pang nagawa ni Ramos bilang pangulo ay
dagdag na lamang.
Nakipagpayapa si Ramos sa MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] matapos ng 24 taong
pag-aaklas nito sa Mindanao, bagama’t nagpatuloy ng paglaban ang katuwang na pangkat na
MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] sa Basilan at Sulu. Inis din ang ibang pinuno sa pamahalaan
dahil sa unti-unting pagbigay ng sarilinang pamamahala [autonomy] sa mga lalawigan ng mga
Muslim. Ang pag-unlad ng paghanapang-buhay [economy] ng Pilipinas na inasam nuon
pang namumuno si Aquino at nagsimula nuong 1992, lalo na nuong 1994 - 1995, sa
pagharap ni Ramos sa mga suliranin ng koryente at tubig, pagsupil sa pagkurakot sa
pamahalaan at pagpapasok ng pundar mula sa ibang bayan [foreign investments]. Ngunit
gaya ng kasunduan sa Mindanao, hindi ganap ang bisa, at nadamay ang Pilipinas sa pagbagsak
ng paghanapang-buhay sa buong Asia nuong 1997 bagaman at hindi kasing sidhi ng dinanas
ng mga katabing bayan.

PROJECTS OF FiDEL V. RAMOS

No one could be happier than former President Fidel Ramos in 1996, the crowning jewel of his
six-year administration. The economy was growing by six percent, a sharp turnaround from
the previous year which has been hit by a rice shortage. In September of that year, the
government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) inked a peace pact, which was to
end the 24-year Muslim rebellion in the south. In November, the country hosted what was
described as the most successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit,
participated in by 21 countries.

Then came the Asian economic crisis in 1997. But President Ramos' strong economic
fundamentals made sure the Philippines would be least affected by the slump. True
enough, the Philippine economy still grew by over two percent in that year, while other ASEAN
countries suffered recessions. Ramos wanted the country to become a newly industrialized
economy by the year 2000, but his term was good only until 1998. He could only watch his
successor, President Joseph Estrada, take his own economic path.

Ramos assumed the presidency from the dark, figuratively. He was the chosen successor of
former President Corazon Aquino, whose term was plagued by 7 coup attempts by the right-
 wing faction of the military, and a crippling energy crisis. In 1992, the energy problem was so
critical, most houses spent dark nights. But light was restored when Ramos became the
country's first Protestant president. He initiated numerous multi-billion energy projects
that would answer the need for electricity of even the biggest businesses in Subic, Laguna,
Cavite, and Bataan.

He traveled extensively abroad, to entice foreign investors. In the provinces, he was an active
speaker in both government and private projects. His term saw the rise of huge infrastructure
projects such as the anti-lahar mega-dike in Pampanga, the roads leading to Subic,
bridges, flyovers, energy plants, government buildings, and the MRT railway.

His constant hectic schedule drew complaints from members of the Malacañang Press Corps
who could not cope up with him. His focus on poverty eradication led to the demolition of
the Smokey Mountain garbage site, which was replaced with resettlement buildings. So
important was he to the economy that his reported heart attack caused jitters among
stock traders in the early part of 1997.

Of course, Ramos also drew flak for many of his controversial measures. In his peace accord with
the MNLF, he was accused of giving Mindanao to the Muslims, of graft and corruption in
his infrastructure projects, and of selling the country to foreigners in his investment
programs. But he denied all of these, and disclosed vital information to the press.

The end of his term saw mounting opposition to such proposals as his national ID system. An
attempt to tinker with the Constitution brought fears that he would stay in power even
after his term ended in 1998. Instead, Ramos chose to step down and give way to
President Estrada, who, after only two years, would be the first Philippine president to be
impeached.

Fidel Ramos was born in Lingayen, Pangasinan on March 18, 1928 to former Foreign
Affairs Secretary Narciso Ramos and Angela Valdez. He graduated valedictorian from
elementary school, and attended the UP High School, before enrolling in the Philippine Military
Academy (PMA) where he earned a scholarship to the US Military Academy in West Point. While
in the US, he also obtained a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering in University of Illinois.

In 1952, he joined the Philippine Army and became part of the Philippine Expeditionary
Force in 1952 during the Korean War. In the 1960s, he was Chief of Staff of the Philippine Civil
Action Group in Vietnam. From there, he quickly rose from the ranks to head the Philippine
Constabulary, and later on, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces.

In 1986, together with then Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramos sparked the
People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos dictatorship. He then helped former
President Corazon Aquino overcome the seven coup attempts led by now Senator
Gregorio Honasan. In 1992, Aquino anointed her as her candidate for the presidential elections.
Today, the 72-year-old former president is back in the limelight, admonishing incumbent
President Estrada for not listening to the people. Ramos himself listened to the people when
he was asked to step down at the end of his term.