MANILA, Philippines -- Former President Fidel V. Ramos refused to join the growing debate over the expensive foreign trips of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“I don’t like to make any comparison between my trips [when I was president] and hers,” Ramos told reporters at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport presidential lounge on Monday, while he waited for his flight to Canada.

However, Ramos said that ultimately, a foreign trip’s success “would be judged by its results,” adding, “The benefits could be long-term and short-term” and these could be economic or diplomatic.

Among such benefits he said, would be attracting foreign investments to the country, improving the Philippines’ image overseas, involving the country in world affairs, boosting bilateral ties with the host country and reaching out to Filipino communities abroad.

These, according to Ramos, are the aims of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV), which he chairs. The organization promotes Philippine interests abroad, among others, at no expense to the government.

Ramos’ presidency from 1992 to 1998 was also noted for his many foreign trips but he did not get as harsh a criticism as Arroyo due mainly to the stable conditions of the country’s economy and politics during that time.

Meanwhile, Ramos ruled out running for an elective post in the 2010 elections, following reports the Arroyo has been planning to run for Congress.

“I’ve already been there. I don’t need that,” he said, adding that he was content to be a private citizen and statesman still serving the Filipinos in other ways.

He echoed 19th century American preacher and author James Freeman Clarke, who said, “A politician thinks about the next elections; the statesman thinks about the next generations.”