House leaders file resolution offering condolences to FVR’s family

BATASAN PLENARY HALL / INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives leaders in the 19th Congress have filed a resolution offering condolences to the bereaved family of former president Fidel V. Ramos, who died on Sunday, July 31.

Before Monday’s session, House Resolution No. 120 was filed by House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; Majority floor leader and Zamboanga City 2nd District Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe; senior deputy Majority floor leader and Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Alexander Marcos; and Minority floor leader and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino Libanan.

In the resolution, the House leaders acknowledged Ramos’ contributions to the country — from his early days as a military man and up to his role in government as a Department of National Defense secretary and then eventually as president of the republic.

It was also mentioned that Ramos is the founder and chairman emeritus of the political party Lakas-CMD, of which Romualdez currently serves as president.

“Whereas, President Ramos considered the presidency as both an honor and a privilege and believed it as a ‘matter of destiny’ to give the people a ‘better quality of life by building on the gains of democracy,'” the resolution said.

“Whereas, a steadfast leader, former President Ramos was the Chairperson Emeritus of Lakas-CMD, the party he founded in 1991 wherein House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez currently serves as party’s president, together with Vice President Sara Zimmerman Duterte as the chairperson of the party,” it added.

During the session, several lawmakers used their privilege hour to thank Ramos for his service, along with expressing condolences to his family.

Earlier, some House members have also released statements mourning the statesman’s death, remembering him as a great leader who was a role model to many aspiring politicians.

Ramos’ demise was announced by state television PTV-4 and was subsequently confirmed by his family on Sunday, sending the country in mourning. However, the former leader’s family requested privacy, saying they would make the wake and funeral arrangements available publicly.

The former president was a celebrated military official, politician, and a key figure in the 1986 People Power revolution that toppled the regime of his cousin, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. — father of incumbent President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

During the bloodless revolution, Ramos and former Defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile turned away from Marcos’ rule, establishing a band of rebels in Camp Aguinaldo protected by seas of people marching into the area.

In his presidency, Ramos led peace negotiations between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which resulted in a peace agreement in 1997.  He was also often credited for resuscitating the economy into competitiveness through sound economic policies.

READ: Fidel V. Ramos, 94: Stabilizer in chief 

JPV/abc