Former Philippine President Fidel Ramos, who led the country through a rare period of growth and peace, earning a reputation as one of its most effective leaders, has died at the age of 94. He made known the press office of the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who took office last month. The causes of the death of the former soldier, who led the Philippines from 1992 to 1998, are not known. The European Union delegation in Manila expressed its condolences, describing the deceased as a “devoted statesman” and a “pillar of democracy “.
Fidel Ramos, a general who converted to democracy, was the first Protestant to rise to the top position in this country with a Catholic majority, despite opposition from some members of the Church. Known for his unabashed demeanor in times of crisis, colloquially nicknamed “Eddie” by the townspeople, it was not uncommon to see him chewing cigars in public. Fidel Ramos waged an aggressive family planning campaign in order to contain rapid population growth. The former president also resolved a serious energy crisis caused by years of lack of investment and revived the economy by dissolving the cartels that dominated the telecommunications, aviation and navigation sectors, relaunching the economy that has seen a period of growth. Born into a family of diplomats, Fidel Ramos, a graduate of the prestigious West Point military school with pro-American beliefs, fought with Filipino contingents alongside the United States in Korea and Vietnam. Patient and reserved behind his steel glasses, he built a reputation as a hardworking and serious man that allowed him to win the presidency in 1992. Like other senior officials of his generation, however, Fidel Ramos played a role in Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship. (father and namesake of today’s president), during which thousands of people were killed and thousands more arbitrarily imprisoned. However Ramos did not hesitate, as a convinced Democrat, to turn against his teacher – and cousin – to bring Cory Aquino to power in 1986. When a daughter of Marcos accused Ramos of being involved in the abuses of his father, the former president stressed that having “atoned” for his sins by leading the army and police in the peaceful revolution that overthrew the dictator. Ramos later became one of Rodrigo Duterte’s earliest supporters when the latter ran for president in 2016.
After Duterte’s landslide victory, Ramos was appointed as the president’s special envoy to Beijing to ease tensions over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea. The relationship between the two soon deteriorated. Ramos publicly criticized Duterte’s aggressive rhetoric and the brutality of his drug campaign, during which thousands died.