The Filipino Profiles

Fidel Valdez Ramos was born on March 18, 1928 in Lingayen, Pangasinan. His father, Narciso Ramos (1900-1986), was a lawyer, crusading journalist and 5-term legislator of the House of Representatives, who eventually rose to the position of Secretary of Foreign Affairs. As such, Narciso Ramos was the Philippine signatory to the ASEAN declaration forged in Bangkok in 1967 and was one of the founding fathers of the Liberal Party. His mother, Angela Valdez-Ramos (1905-1977), was an educator, woman suffragette and daughter of the respected Valdez clan of Batac, Ilocos Norte making him a second degree cousin to Ferdinand Marcos. He took his elementary education in Lingayen and secondary education at the University of the Philippines Integrated School and Centro Escolar University Integrated School.

In 1946, Ramos, barely months after enrolling in the Philippines’ National University, joined the Philippine Military Academy as cadet and won a government scholarship to the United States Military Academy in West Point. He pursued further studies in engineering following his graduation from West Point in 1950, obtaining a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering in the University of Illinois, where he was also a government scholar in 1951. He is a licensed civil engineer in the Philippines, passing the board exams in 1953 and finishing in the top 10. In 1960, he topped Special Forces-Psy Operations-Airborne course at the United States Army Infantry School at Fort Benning.

Ramos also holds a Master’s Degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the Ateneo de Manila University.

In his military career, Ramos rose from 2nd Lieutenant infantry platoon leader in the Philippine Expeditionary Forces 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.

Ramos has received several military awards including the Philippine Legion of Honor, the Gold Cross, Philippine Military Merit Medal, the United States Legion of Merit, the French Legion of Honor and the U.S. Military Academy Distinguished Award.

Ramos served the Marcos regime for more than 20 years. He was head of the Philippine Constabulary, the country’s national police force, and was one of 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. After the amnesty was accepted, Ramos ordered the rebel soldiers to make 50 push ups as punishment.

Other Information

• Born : March 18, 1928
• Birthplace: Lingayen, Pangasinan
• Birth name : Fidel Valdez Ramos
• Also nown as : FVR
• Father: Narciso Rueca Ramos
• Mother: Angela Valdez-Ramos
• Nationality : Filipino
• Ethnic Affiliation : Ilocano and Pangasinense
• Schoolos Attended :
  • Philippine Military Academy
  • Philippines’ National University (1946)
  • Bachelor of Science, US Military Academy, West Point, New York (1950)
  • Masters Degree in Civil Engineering in the University of Illinois (1951)
  • Associate Infantry Company Officers Course, Fort Benning Georgia (1955)
  • Special Forces/Psychological Operations/Airborne Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina (1960)
  • Master of National Security Administration, National Defense College of the Philippines (1969)
  • Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Ateneo de Manila University (1980)
  • Command and General Staff Course, Phil. Army CGSC (1985)
  • Doctor of Humanities honoris causa, Mindanao State University (1983)
  • Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa, Lyceum University (1986)
  • Centro Escolar University (1987)
  • Philippine Women’s University (1997)
  • Doctor of Technology honoris causa, AIT (February 20, 1998)
• Political party : Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
• Other political affiliations :
• Spouse : Amelita Martinez Ramos
• Children:
  • Josephine “Jo” Samartino Ramos
  • Carolina “Cbula” Sembrano Ramos
  • Cristine “Cristy” Jalasco Ramos
  • Gloria “Margie” Ramos
• Profession : Soldier, Civil Engineer, Statesman
• Religion : United Methodist

Positions held

• 2nd Lieutenant Infantry Platoon Leader, Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea, 1952
• Reconnaisance Platoon Leader, 20th BCT, Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK)
• Duty, Personnel Research Group, G1 Division, GHQ-AFP, 1952 to 1954
• Senior Aide de Camp to Chief of Staff, AFP, 1958 to 1960
• CO Special Forces Group (Abn) PA, 1962 to 1965
• Deputy G5 (Plans) Division, HQ, PA, 1965
• Chief of Staff, Philippine Civic Action Group to Vietnam, 1966-1968
• Presidential Assistant on Military Affairs, 1968 to 1969
• Commander, 3rd Infantry Brigade (Sep) PA, November 1970 to January 1971
• Commanding General, AFP for Home Defense Training Center, January 1971 to January 1972
• Chief of Staff 1st PHILCAG, 1977 to 1978
• Vice Chief of Staff, AFP (concurrent), August 15, 1961 to February 28, 1986)
• Chief of the Philippine Constabulary, January 1972 to March 1986
• (concurrently Deputy Chief of Staff for Home Defense, AFP)
• Director-General Integrated National Police (concurrent), August 8, 1975 to March 8, 1986
• Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 25 February 1986 – 29 January 1988
• Secretary of National Defense, January 1988 – July 1991
• Philippine President, June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998

Post-Presidency

• Member of the National Security Council (Estrada and Arroyo administrations)
• Member of the Council of State (Arroyo administration)
• Senior Adviser (Estrada Administration)
• Ambassador–at–large (Arroyo administration)
• Chairman – Ramos Peace and Development Foundation

Notable Events

Pre-Presidency

• Korean War (1952)
• Battle of Hill Eerie

Presidency

• Power crisis (1992)
• Migrant Workers Protection (1995)
• Economic reform (1996)
• Death penalty (1996)
• Peace with separatists (1996)
• Asian Financial Crisis (1997)
• Clark Centennial Expo Scandal (1998)
• Spratly Islands (1999)

Post-Presidency

• second EDSA Revolution (2001)

Awards and achievements

• Philippine Legion of Honor
• Distinguished Service Star (with Silver and Bronze Anahaw leaf) Gold Cross
• Philippine Military Merit Medal
• The United States Legion of Merit
• The French Legion of Honor
• The U.S. Military Academy Distinguished Award
• 1990 Legion of Merit (United States of America)

Links

• Official Website
• Fidel Ramos Community Forum