Fidel V. RAMOS

Chairman, Council of Advisors, BFA

Former President of the Philippines

 

FIDEL V. RAMOS, the 12TH PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (1992-1998), is remembered for steadfastly promoting the principles of people empowerment and global competitiveness. He quickly led the nation out of darkness in 1993, putting an end to the power crisis that crippled Filipino homes and industries for two years. He pursued, focused and converged programs to fight poverty in accordance with the will of the Filipino people expressed by 229 structural/reform laws enacted by Congress during his term. The Philippine economy recovered dramatically during the years 1993-1997. Ramos vigorously implemented a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) that addressed the long-standing problem of poverty. Gross National Product averaged 5 percent annually. 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. He encouraged the privatization of public entities, to include the modernization of public infrastructure through an expanded Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) law. While communist insurgency dwindled to historic lows, he achieved a peace agreement with military rebels and the secessionist Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) for which he won for the Philippines the coveted 1997 UNESCO Peace Award -- the first for Asians. FVR is known as the "Centennial" President, having planned and supervised the 100th Anniversary of the country’s Declaration of Independence from Spain on 12 June 1998. Ever the international diplomat, he continues to personally interact with many leaders around the world -- at no government expense. On 12 April 2002, he was elected Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA). In 2010, he was elected Chairman of the Council of Advisors, BFA. FVR has received some 28 honorary doctorates, half of them from prestigious foreign educational institutions. He also received the 2000 Distinguished Graduate Award from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, his Alma Mater (Class of 1950). He is a retired chief of staff of the Armed Force of the Philippines with the rank of General (1986-1988), and former Secretary of National Defense (1988-1991). He also has masters’ degrees in National Security (1969), Civil Engineering (University of Illinois, 1951), and Business Administration (1980). He is a licensed Civil Engineer (1953).