FIDEL VALDEZ RAMOS

Twelfth (12th) President of the Philippines

Second President of the Fifth Republic
June 30, 1992 – June 30, 1998

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC

Fidel Valdez Ramos, who was also commonly known as FVR and Eddie, is a retired
Filipino general and politician who served from 1992 to 1998 as the 12th president of the
Philippines. He is the only career military officer who reached the rank of five-star
general/admiral de jure who rose from second lieutenant up to commander-in-chief of the armed
forces.

During his six years in office, Ramos was widely credited and admired by many for
revitalizing and renewing international confidence in the Philippine economy. He anchored his
government on twin themes of people empowerment and global excellence as the engines of
economic growth and social equity. At age 93, he is currently the oldest living former Philippine
president. President Ramos has been hailed as the mastermind behind the reform agenda of the
government. He is determined to lay down the necessary foundations to enable the Philippines to
achieve full economic recovery by the year 2000.

EARLY LIFE

Fidel Ramos was born on March 18, 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan and he was raised
later in Asingan, Pangasinan. His father, Narciso Ramos and his mother Angela Valdez.

 Narciso Ramos (1900–1986), was a lawyer, journalist and five-term legislator of the
House of Representatives, who eventually rose to the position of Secretary of Foreign
Affairs. Narciso Ramos was the Philippine signatory to the ASEAN declaration forged in
Bangkok in 1967, and was a founding member of the Liberal Party. According to Fidel
Ramos's biography in his presidential inauguration in 1992, Narciso Ramos also served
as one of the leaders of the anti-Japanese guerrilla group the Maharlika founded by
Ferdinand Marcos.
  Angela Valdez (1905–1978), was an educator, woman suffragette, and member of the
respected Valdez clan of Batac, Ilocos Norte, making him a second degree cousin to
former Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

EDUCATION

He received elementary education in Lingayen Public Schools. Ramos began secondary

education at the University of the Philippines High School in the City of Manila, and continued
in the High School Department of Mapúa Institute of Technology. He graduated high school
from Centro Escolar University Integrated School in 1945. He later on obtained his degree in
Civil Engineering at National University in Manila. He was Top 8 in the Civil Engineering
Board Exam in 1953. Afterwards he went to the United States and he graduated from the United
States Military Academy, with Bachelor of Science in Military Engineering and the University of
Illinois, with a master's degree in civil engineering. He also holds a master's degree in National
Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines and a master's
degree in Business Administration from Ateneo de Manila University. In addition, he received a
total of 29 honorary doctorate degrees.

MARRIAGE

Fidel V. Ramos married Amelita Martinez on October 21, 1954, and together they have
five daughters: Angelita Ramos-Jones, Josephine Ramos-Samartino, Carolina Ramos-Sembrano,
Cristina Ramos-Jalasco and Gloria Ramos.

FIDEL RAMOS IN HIS MILITARY CAREER

Ramos went to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he graduated in
1950. Ramos was a member of the Philippines' 20th Battalion Combat Team of the Philippine
Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) that fought in the Korean War. He was an Infantry
Reconnaissance Platoon Leader. 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 in the Vietnam War as a non-
combat civil military engineer and Chief of Staff of the Philippine Civil Action Group
(PHILCAG). It was during this assignment where he forged his lifelong friendship with his
junior officer Maj. Jose T. Almonte, who went on to become his National Security Advisor
throughout his administration from 1992 to 1998.

Ramos has received several military awards including the Philippine Legion of Honor
(1988, 1991), the Distinguished Conduct Star (1991), the Distinguished Service Star (1966,
1967, 1981), Philippine Military Merit Medal (1952), the United States Legion of Merit, the
French Legion of Honor, the U.S. Military Academy Distinguished Graduate Award and Legion
of Merit (1990). During his stint at the Philippine Army, Ramos founded the Philippine Army
Special Forces. And then, he was named as the commander of the Army's 3rd Division based in
Cebu City, Cebu.

FIDEL RAMOS DURING THE MARTIAL LAW AND THE EDSA REVOLUTION

Ramos was head of the Philippine Constabulary, then a major service branch of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, that functioned as the country's national police until 1972,
when Ferdinand Marcos imposed Martial Law. In 1975, all civic and municipal police forces in
the country were integrated by decree, and it became known as the Integrated National Police
(INP), which was under the control and supervision of the Philippine Constabulary. As head of
the PC, Ramos was ex officio the INP's first concurrent Director-General. Martial Law was
formally lifted nine years later on January 17, 1981, but Marcos retained absolute powers.

Due to his accomplishments, Ramos was one of the candidates to the position of Chief of
Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1981, as replacement to the retiring General
Romeo Espino who was the longest serving chief of staff. Ramos lost to General Fabian Ver a
graduate of the University of the Philippines, who Marcos appointed to the top military post.
Instead Ramos, a cousin of Marcos was named AFP Vice-Chief of staff in 1982, and promoted to
the rank of three-star general. On May 12, 1983, a new unit in the former Philippine
Constabulary was organized and named as the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force as a
requirement of General Order 323 of Philippine Constabulary Headquarters. Fidel Ramos and
Gen. Renato de Villa were the founders of the unit. De Villa tasked Col. Rosendo Ferrer and
Gen. Sonny Razon to organize a Special Action Force. After which, a training program called the
SAF Ranger Course, was used to train the 1st generation of SAF troopers, which numbered 149.
Of that number, 26 were commissioned officers with the rest were enlisted personnel recruited
from a wide range of PC units such as the defunct PC Brigade, the Long Range Patrol Battalion
(LRP), the K-9 Support Company, PC Special Organized Group, the Light Reaction Unit (LRU)
of PC METROCOM, the Constabulary Off-shore Action Command (COSAC) and other PC
Units. Later on, they changed the name of the course to the SAF Commando Course.

FIDEL RAMOS IN HIS POLITICAL CAREER

After Aquino assumed the Presidency, she appointed Ramos as Chief of Staff of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (1986-1988), and later Secretary of National Defense as well as
Chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (1988-1991). During this time, Ramos
personally handled the military operations that crushed nine coup attempts against the Aquino
government. During Ramos' presidency, the National Unification Commission was created, and
its chairman Haydee Yorac, together with Ramos, recommended to President Aquino to grant
amnesty to the rebel military officers of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) led by
Col. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan.

1992 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

In December 1991, Ramos declared his candidacy for president. However, he lost the
nomination of the then-dominant party Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) to House
Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr. Days later, he bolted from the party LDP and cried foul and founded
his own party, the Partido Lakas Tao (People Power Party), inviting Cebu Governor Emilio
Mario Osmeña to be his running mate as his vice presidential candidate. The party formed a
coalition with the National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD) of Senator Raul Manglapus
and the United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines (UMDP) of Ambassador Sanchez Ali.
Ramos and Osmeña, together with Congressman (later House Speaker) Jose de Venecia,
campaigned for economic reforms and improved national security and unity.

He won the seven-way race on May 11, 1992, narrowly defeating popular Agrarian
Reform Secretary Miriam Defensor Santiago. His running mate, Governor Osmeña, lost to
Senator Joseph Estrada as vice president. Despite winning, he garnered only 23.58% of the vote,
the lowest plurality in the country's history. The election results were marred by allegations of
fraud as Santiago was leading the race for the first five days of counting but became second after
a nationwide energy black-out, putting Ramos in first place. International media were already
calling Santiago as the president-elect but withdrew because of the sudden change in positions.
Santiago filed an electoral protest, but it was eventually junked by the Supreme Court. The
quote, "Miriam won in the elections, but lost in the counting" became popular nationwide. These
allegations were resurrected when WikiLeaks, in September 2011, released US Embassy reports
that Libyan ruler Muammar Gaddafi contributed Php5 million to finance Ramos's campaign.
Philippine election laws prohibit accepting contribution from foreigners.
II. PROJECTS

PRESIDENCY TIMELINE
1992
June 30 – Inauguration of President Fidel V. Ramos
September 22 – Pres. Ramos signs the Anti-Subversion Act of 1992.
September 30 – U.S. forces leave Subic Bay Naval Base upon its turn over to the Philippines.
November 24 – Subic Bay Naval Base closes as it is turned over to the local government, with a
last batch of American soldiers finally leaving Naval Air Station Cubi Point and returning to the
U.S., ending its military presence in the country.
1993
June 28 to 29 – Sarmenta-Gomez Rape-slay case.
December – Numerous bomb attacks in Davao City, targeting a church and two mosques, kill at
least two and injure 150.
December – Pres. Ramos signs Republic Act 7659 reinstating capital punishment for selected
crimes, which is banned in the 1987 Constitution.

1994
July – Abu Sayyaf group massacres 15 Christian civilians in Basilan and holds 19 others
hostage; most of the captives are freed later following a rescue mission, while Lamitan parish
priest Fr. Cirilo Nacorda is freed on August after being turned over by the group to the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF).
October – Series of terror attacks of the MILF in parts of North Cotabato result in the death of 50
people from both the rebel and government sides and displace thousands from four
municipalities.
November 15 – Mindoro earthquake
December 2 – Singaporean freighter Kota Suria and ferry MV Cebu City collides in Manila Bay,
killing about 140.
December 11 – A bomb explodes on board a Philippine Airlines plane during a test run as part of
the Bojinka plot, a planned attack for the assassination of Pope John Paul II during his 1995 visit,
killing a passenger.
December – Abu Sayyaf launches a series of bombings in Zamboanga City, killing 71.

1995
February – Philippine Navy sights ships and structures being built, all by the Chinese, in
Mischief Reef (Panganiban Reef) in the South China Sea off Palawan; causing Manila to file
legal diplomatic actions against Beijing over continuous occupation of the Kalayaan Island
Group, and further resistance between the Philippines and China.
March 14 – Then Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez and several co-accused are
sentenced to life imprisonment for the death of two UPLB students.
March 17 – OFW Flor Contemplacion, accused of murder, is executed in Singapore.
April 3 – Abu Sayyaf rebels raid Ipil town, wherein they burn the town center and kill 53 people.
April 30 – President Ramos inaugurated the opening of Subic International Airport (formerly a
United States military base). This indicates growth after the removal of military bases in the
country.
November 27 – The construction of the Skyway project was initiated, the biggest infrastructure
project in the country that was intended to ease the flow of traffic in Metro Manila.

1996
March 18 – Fire razes Ozone Disco Bar in Quezon City, killing more than 158, including
students.
March 24 – Marcopper mining disaster in Marinduque occurs; one of the largest mining disasters
in history.
August 1 – OFW Sarah Balabagan, accused of killing her Arab employer in 1994, is freed.
September 2 – The Final Peace Agreement between the Philippine Government and the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF), led by Nur Misuari, is signed at the Malacañan Palace;
implementing the 1976 Tripoli Agreement.

1997
July – Asian financial crisis hits the country; causes decreasing economic growth in the
Philippines.
October 29 – Pres. Ramos signs Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act (Republic Act No. 8371), with
the creation of National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

1998
February 2 – A Cebu Pacific plane hits Mt. Sumagaya in Claveria, Misamis Oriental, killing 104
on board.
May 11 – 1998 Philippine general election (Joseph Estrada is elected)

A. PHILIPPINES 2000

Ramos embarked on a development plan dubbed "Philippines 2000". Under the plan, several
industries critical to economic development were privatized, such as electricity,
telecommunications, banking, domestic shipping, and oil. The taxation system was reformed,
and external debt was brought to more manageable levels by debt restructuring and sensible
fiscal management. By 1996, the country's GNP and GDP were growing at a rate of 7.2 percent
and 5.2 percent respectively. The annual inflation rate had dropped to 5.9 percent from its high
of 9.1 percent in 1995. By the late 1990s, the Philippines' economic growth gained favorable
comparisons with other Asian countries such as Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia.

“Philippines 2000” has two components. The first is the Medium-Term Philippine
Development Plan for 1993-1998 [MTPDP 93-98]. Guided by the principles of people
empowerment and global excellence, it proposes specific policies and programs to stimulate
economic activity and mobilize the entrepreneurial spirit in ordinary Filipinos. On the other
hand, the second component of “Philippines 2000” addresses the larger environment, the
political, social, and cultural climate, in which economic growth must take place.

Philippines 2000 Five-Point Program:

 Peace and Stability

 Economic Growth and Sustainable Development
 Energy and Power Generation
 Environmental Protection
 Streamlined Bureaucracy

Under Ramos' presidential leadership, the Philippines became known as the "Asian Tiger."
He was widely credited for reviving the country's economy, and it grew at a brisk pace of seven
percent annually through the mid-1990s. Admirers of his businesslike approach called him
"Steady Eddie," and many foreign investors poured money into the country. He also ended
crippling regulation of the telecommunications, banking, insurance, shipping and oil industries.
Meanwhile, Ramos quieted long-standing troubles with Communist guerrillas, right-wing
military offices and Muslim separatists, making life in the Philippines more stable than it had
been in decades.

B. ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

1. Implemented Waste Disposal Projects. President Fidel Ramos launched the Ecological
Waste Management Program under which LGUs, communities and the private sector are
provided technical assistance to promote and speed up the transfer of information and
technology on the proper management and disposal of solid wastes, as well as guidance
on the preparation of the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment System.
As part of their technical assistance to LGUs and other concerned groups, they
formulated and published the following waste management manuals, plans and other
relevant documents to serve as guide to users:
a. Handbook on Solid Waste Management for Local Government
b. Guidelines for the Preparation of Solid Waste Management Master Plan
c. Criteria for the Selection of a Potential Sanitary Landfill Site
d. Manual on Sanitary Landfill
e. Sanitary Landfill Design and Construction Manual
f. Leachate Stabilization Ponds Design and Construction.
g. Internal Criteria for the Initial Evaluation of Solid Waste Management
Projects Proposed Under the Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Scheme
h. Scoping Guidelines for the Conduct of EIA for Thermal Conversion/Waste-
to-Energy (Incineration) Facility

2. Intensified Clean Air Campaign. Ramos administration pursued their drive against smoke
belchers and tapped the LGUs to implement the Comprehensive Anti-Smoke Belching
Program. In support of the Program, they completed the revision of the IRRs on the Anti-
smoke Belching Law (PD 1081) for the law’s more effective implementation. Ramos
administration complemented the Anti-Smoke Belching Program with the promotion of
the use of lead-free gasoline which significantly contributed to the reduction of noxious
gases in the air. A total of 953 gasoline stations nationwide are now selling unleaded
gasoline. They also continuously monitored air quality and upgraded our monitoring
stations to get a more accurate and up-to-date information. They acquired two (2) units of
mobile air laboratory van to augment the existing stations.
3. Rehabilitated and Protected Major Bodies of Water. Ramos administration intensified the
protection and rehabilitation of heavily polluted major bodies of water.
a. Pasig River. Ramos administration created the Presidential Task Force on Pasig
River Rehabilitation under Administrative Order No. 74 dated 29 July 1993 to
speed up the rehabilitation of the Pasig River and to upgrade it water quality by
the year 2005. Toward this, they enlisted the support of our local communities,
NGOs and private sector in the implementation of the Waste Minimization
Program and resettled 3,583 families living on stilts along the Pasig River. The
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) load was reduced from 330 metric tons per
day (MTPD) in 1990 to 283 MTPD in 1996. These resulted in significant
improvement in the ability of the river to sustain marine life.

b. Laguna Lake and Tributaries. Ramos administration also pursued the

implementation of the Sagip Ilog/River Rehabilitation Program, a multi-sectoral
approach to clean and rehabilitate the biologically dead and polluted rivers in the
nine (9) priority river systems in the Laguna Lake basin.

c. Boac River. Ramos administration rehabilitated the Boac River which was
damaged by Marcopper’s mine tailings, in partnership with the private sector as
well as the concerned LGUs and communities. Expenses for the rehabilitation
activities was drawn from the Environmental Guarantee Fund established by
Marcopper Company.

d. Pasak River. They removed and blasted illegal fishpond dikes and structures
causing the siltation of the Pasak River and the flooding of San Fernando,
Pampanga area and surrounding barangays.

e. Pansipit River. They dismantled abut 2,951 (out of 3,440) illegal fishcages,
fishpens, fishtraps and other aquaculture in Pansipit River to prevent the lake
from further pollution due to excessive feeding of cultured fishes, and to save its
endemic species such as Maliputo and Tawilis.

4. Implemented Clean and Green Program. Ramos administration implemented the Clean
and Green Program to instill in the minds of our local communities and LGUs the need
for a clean and green environment. As part of the Program, they distributed a total of 75.5
million seedlings and saplings to the LGUs for planting in their localities. They also
established 457 mini-parks nationwide. They conducted our annual search (starting 1993)
for the cleanest and greenest (and dirtiest) LGUs and bodies of water. They recognized
and elevated to the Hall of Fame, the Cities of Baguio and Puerto Princesa, for winning
the cleanest and greenest local government unit award for three (3) consecutive years.
5. Strengthened Environmental Impact Statement System. Fidel Ramos revised the
implementing rules and regulations on the Environmental Impact Statement System to
make it a more responsive instrument in addressing the increasing pressures on the
environment. They simplified its requirements and mandated the conduct of the EIA
simultaneous to that of the pre-feasibility study for environmentally-critical projects. This
resulted in the reduction of processing time in the issuance of Environmental Compliance
Certificates (ICC) to only 90 days. As insurance against possible harm to the environment
and communities arising from the implementation of high-risk projects, they required
firms to put up an Environment Guarantee Fund prior to the start of the project, and an
Environment Monitoring fund to ensure that projects are monitored, in terms of their
impact on the environment, from start to completion. In the same vein, they required
social acceptability as one of the major criterion for the release of the ECC.
6. Closed Down Establishments Violating Pollution Control Laws. Ramos administration
waged an all-out war against industrial polluters identified to be sources of pollution
through the issuance of 286 Cease and Desist Orders (CDO) to industrial establishments
operating without the required waste treatment facilities and discharging toxic chemicals
and wastes into the air, water, as well as those operating open dumpsites.

7. Developed the Smokey Mountain. Fidel Ramos closed the 20-hectare Smokey Mountain
open dumpsite and disposed about 5 million cubic meters of garbage to develop it into a
port-related, commercial and industrial area with housing units for its resident. They
constructed at least 33 temporary housing building in the Smokey Mountain which is
now occupied by 2,700 Smokey Mountain households. They drew up a development plan
for the area, a component of which is the development of a 79-hectare reclaimed for the
purpose. This is to induce economic growth and provide employment opportunities to the
residents of Smokey Mountain. They also provided basic services and alternative
Mountain. They also provided basic services and alternative livelihood to the scavenger
families displaced by the closure of the dumpsite.

8. Adopted New Concepts and Measures to Protect the Environment. Ramos administration
adopted innovative programs and market-based instruments aimed at influencing
industrial firms and local government units to take deliberate efforts to protect the
environment and to pursue more environmentally friendly ways in their operations.
a. Imposed Emission and Effluent Charges. They started charging pollution fees to
industrial firms releasing polluting substances into the environment, based on the
"Polluters Pay Principle" to put pressure on them to put in place waste
minimization or waste treatment facilities. The concept is currently being piloted
in the Laguna Lake region.

b. Adopted Color-coding for Industrial Firms. Under the project, industrial firms are
color-coded based on their environmental responsiveness, for disclosure to the
 public. "Gold" denotes excellent performance; "blue", sufficient compliance;
"red", insufficient compliance; and "black", non-compliance. The system is slated
to be piloted in NCR and Laguna Lake region and will initially focus on the
biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration of a firm’s effluent.

c. Comprehensive Ecological Labeling Project. Under the Project, LGUs were rated
and ranked according to their performance in enforcing development and
environmental functions such as compliance to environmental standards like
water supply, sewerage treatment facilities, and solid waste management.

d. Banned the Entry of Toxic Wastes. A signatory to the Basel Convention, they
banned the importation, storage or transport of toxic or nuclear wastes into or
through our country. To further regulate the movement of hazardous waste, they
also prohibit the importation of recyclable materials containing hazardous
substances (DENR Administrative Order No. 28, S, 199--).

C. EDUCATION

1. Creation of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) works with DECS to

regulate higher education in the Philippines. This organization was created
through Republic Act No.7722, also known as the Higher Education Act of 1994,
during the term of President Fidel V. Ramos. The commission's vision is the
pursuit of a better quality of life for all through education.

2. Creation of Legal Education Board pursuant to R.A. No. 7662, also known as the
Legal Education Reform Act of 1993.

3. Approved on February 25, 1994 the Republic Act No. 7686 or the Dual Training
System Act of 1994: an act to strengthen manpower education and training in the
Philippines by institutionalizing the dual training system as an instructional
delivery system of technical and vocational education and training, providing
mechanism, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.

4. Approved on June 2, 1994 the Republic Act No. 7731, or “An Act Abolishing the
National College Entrance Examination, repealing for the Purpose Presidential
Decree No. 146”. Presidential Decree Numbered One Hundred Forty -Six (P.D.
No. 146) entitled, “Upgrading the Quality of Education in the Philippines by
Requiring All High School Graduates Seeking Admission to Post Secondary
Degree Programs Necessitating a Minimum of Four Years Study to Pass a
 National Entrance Examination and Appropriating Funds Therefor," is hereby
repealed.

5. Approved on August 25, 1994 the Republic Act No. 7796, or the “Technical
Education and Skills-Development Act of 1994”: an act creating the technical
education and skills development authority, providing for its powers, structure
and for other purposes. This Act aims to encourage the full participation of and
mobilize the industry, labor, local government units and technical-vocational
institutions in the skills development of the country's human resources.

6. Approved on August 4, 1994 the Republic Act No. 7784: An act to strengthen
teacher education in the Philippines by establishing centers of excellence, creating
a teacher education council for the purpose, appropriating funds therefor, and for
other purposes

D. INFRASTRUCTURE

Completion of the rehabilitation of the PNR Main Line

South and appointed Jose B. Dado as the new PNR
general manager.

Creation of MMDA (Metro Manila Development

Authority).

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) was

created in 1995 under RA 7924 to handle the deteriorating
traffic situation in Metro Manila.

Implementation of Mactan-Cebu Airport as major

infrastructure project.
 Rehabilitation of the North and South Harbors of the Port
of Manila under Nationwide Fishing Ports Program.

E. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. During his term, he was able to establish programs that were significant to the field of
Science and Technology. In 1993, Science and Technology Agenda for National
Development (STAND) was established. Among its priorities were:
a. exporting winners identified by the DTI;
b. domestic needs identified by the President's Council for Countryside
Development;
c. support industries and
d. coconut industry development.

2. Congress, during his term, was able to enact laws that were significant for the field.
a. Magna Carta for Science and Technology Personnel (Republic Act No. 8439)
recognizes the role of science and technology in achieving economic growth. It
provides for a program of human resource development in science and technology
to achieve and maintain the necessary reservoir of talent and manpower that will
sustain its drive for total science and technology mastery. The law sets out the
incentives for pursuing careers in science and technology.

b. Science and Technology Scholarship Law of 1994 (Republic Act No. 7687)
provides scholarship slots to poor but deserving students whose families’ annual
gross incomes do not exceed the poverty threshold limit. The scholar must pursue
a course in the field of science, mathematics and engineering leading to a
Bachelor of Science degree.

3. The Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 8293) was enacted
during Ramos' term. The law provides industrial property rights, copyrights and related
rights, and technology transfer arrangements
F. AGRICULTURE

President Fidel V. Ramos administration committed to the vision “Fairer, faster and more
meaningful implementation of the Agrarian Reform Program. He enacted the following laws:

1. Republic Act No. 7881, 1995 – Amended certain provisions of RA 6657 and
exempted fishponds and prawns from the coverage of CARP.

2. Republic Act No. 7905, 1995 – Strengthened the implementation of the CARP.

3. Executive Order No. 363, 1997 – Limits the type of lands that may be converted by
setting conditions under which limits the type of lands that may be converted by
setting conditions under which specific categories of agricultural land are either
absolutely non-negotiable for conversion or highly restricted for conversion.

4. Republic Act No. 8435, 1997 (Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act AFMA)
– Plugged the legal loopholes in land use conversion.

5. Republic Act 8532, 1998 (Agrarian Reform Fund Bill) – Provided an additional
Php50 billion for CARP and extended its implementation for another 10 years.

G. ENERGY

1. Republic Act No. 7638 (Charter of the Department of Energy)- to entrust the
Department of Energy to prepare, integrate, coordinate, supervise and control all
plans, programs, projects and activities of the government relative to energy
exploration, development, utilization, distribution and conservation

2. Republic Act No. 7648 (Electric Power Crisis Act)- to effectively address the electric
power crisis, it allowed special constitutional powers to issue licenses to independent
power producers (IPP) for the construction, repair, rehabilitation, improvement or
maintenance of power plants, projects and facilities. However, the authority granted
under RA 7648 was ot1ly valid for a period of one (1) year from its effectivity.

3. Republic Act No. 7832 (Anti-electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials

Pilferage Act of 1994)- intent to curb the illegal use of electricity and theft of electric
power transmission lines and materials as well as provide penalties to discourage
perpetrators from committing these offenses.
H. OTHER MAJOR LEGISLATION SIGNED

1. Republic Act No. 7653 (The New Central Bank Act)- Under the Act, the BSP shall
function and operate as an independent and accountable corporate body in the discharge
of its mandated responsibilities concerning money, banking and credit. It shall have
supervision over the operations of banks and exercise such regulatory powers as provided
in this Act.

2. Republic Act No. 8179 - An act further liberalizing foreign investments, amending for
the purpose Republic Act No. 7042, and for other purposes.

3. Death Penalty. In 1996 Fidel V. Ramos signed a bill that returned capital punishment
with the electric chair (method used from 1923 to 1976, making Philippines the only
country to do so outside U.S.) "until the gas chamber could be installed”. However, no
one was electrocuted nor gassed, because the previously-used chair was destroyed earlier
and the Philippines adopted the lethal injection.

4. Republic Act 7636. Ramos, a military general himself, made peace with the rebel panels.
He was instrumental in the signing of the final peace agreement between the government
and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur Misuari in 1996. He also
ordered the resumption of peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF) led by Salamat Hashim and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National
Democratic Front, which operates the New People's Army, led by Jose Maria Sison.
Although he battled Communist rebels as a young lieutenant in the 1950s, Ramos made a
bold move when he signed into law Republic Act 7636, which repealed the Anti-
Subversion Law. With its repeal, membership in the once-outlawed Communist Party of
the Philippines became legal.

5. Ramos facilitated the enactment of Republic Act 8042, better known as the Magna Carta
for Overseas Workers or the Migrant Workers Act: an act to institute the policies of
overseas employment and establish a higher standard of protection and promotion of the
welfare of migrant workers, their families and overseas Filipinos in distress, and for other
purposes. The Migrant Workers Act was signed into law on June 7, 1995.
III. PROBLEMS

POWER CRISIS

Ramos Administration faced major challenge, there was not enough power. The
Philippines then was experiencing widespread blackouts due to huge demand for electricity and
antiquity of power plants, the abolishment of the Department of Energy and discontinuation of
the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant during the Aquino administration. During his State of the Nation
address on July 27, 1992, he requested that the Congress enact a law that would create an Energy
Department that would plan and manage the Philippines' energy demands. Congress not only
created an Energy Department but gave him special emergency powers to resolve the power
crisis.

AGRARIAN REFORM

Another major problem that the Ramos administration faced was the lack of funds to
support and implement the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). The Php50
million, allotted by R.A. No. 6657 to finance the CARP from 1988 to 1998, was no longer
sufficient to support the program. To address this problem, Ramos signed R.A. No. 8532 to
amend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) which further strengthened the CARP
by extending the program to another ten years. Ramos signed this law on February 23, 1998 - a
few months before the end of Ramos' term.

ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS IN 1997

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, which started in Thailand, was a major blow to the end
of the Ramos administration, with him stepping down with a negative GDP growth. The
economy was hit by currency devaluation. Growth fell to about −0.6% in 1998 from 5.2% in
1997, but recovered to 3.4% by 1999. It also resulted to the shutdown of some businesses, a
decline in importation, a rising unemployment rate and an unstable financial sector.

CHINESE ON THE SPRATLY ISLANDS

In early 1995, the Philippines discovered a primitive Chinese military structure on

Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, one hundred and thirty nautical miles off the coast of
Palawan. The Philippine government issued a formal protest over China's occupation of the reef
and the Philippine Navy arrested sixty-two Chinese fishermen at Half Moon Shoal, eighty
kilometers from Palawan. A week later, following confirmation from surveillance pictures that
the structures were of military design, President Fidel Ramos had the military forces in the
region strengthened. He ordered the Philippine Air Force to dispatch five F-5 fighters backed by
four jet trainers and two helicopters, while the navy sent two additional ships. The People's
Republic of China had claimed that the structures were shelters for fishermen but these small
incidents could have triggered a war in the South China Sea.

THE CASE OF FLOR CONTEMPLACION ON SINGAPORE

One of the downturns of his administration was his experience in handling migrant
workers protection. On the eve of his 67th birthday on March 17, 1995, Ramos was on a foreign
trip when Flor Contemplación was hanged in Singapore. His last-minute effort to negotiate with
Singapore President Ong Teng Cheong and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong never succeeded and
he was marred with protests after his return to Manila. The protests also caused the resignation of
Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo and Labor Secretary Nieves Confesor from the
Cabinet. He immediately recalled Philippine ambassador to Singapore Alicia Ramos and
suspended diplomatic relations to Singapore. He created a special commission to look into the
case and to try to rescue his sagging popularity. The commission was led by retired justice
Emilio Gancayco. The Commission recommended the forced resignation of then Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) head David Corpin and 13 other government
officials, including two labor attaches.

THREAT TO PEACE AND SECURITY

The Philippines has suffered from a continuous armed struggle between the government
and its main revolutionary guerrilla groups. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), a
Muslim separatist movement based in the southern island of Mindanao, has been fighting for
independence since 1971. Up to 200,000 people have died, many of them civilians, and hundreds
of thousands more have been displaced. Renewed hope has arisen since President Ramos signed
a peace agreement with the MNLF in September 1996. However, two breakaway Muslim
organizations are still operating in the Mindanao region.

A more widespread impediment to peace in the Philippines lies in the protracted conflict
between successive Philippine Governments and the communist National Democratic Front
(NDF). The two sides resumed peace talks in June 1996 and exchanged political prisoners.
Although President Ramos expressed "guarded optimism" about this round of talks with the
communists, NDF leader Luis Jalandoni accused the Ramos government of threatening massive
violations of human rights by legislating the appropriation of 200,000 hectares of land for
concessions to foreign mining corporations, thereby "causing or threatening the massive
uprooting of the native population and poor rural settlers

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Reported rape cases in 1995 showed an alarming increase over 1994. The police officer
who opened the first woman's desk in 1993 was quoted by the Straits Times as saying that sexual
violence in the Philippines is encouraged by a machista attitude toward women, who are
associated with weakness and servility. "This cultural attitude has created a nation of sexists,
potential batterers and sexual harassers." Social Welfare Secretary Laigo refers to rape as a
"silent crime," influenced by a number of factors, including alcoholism, the proliferation of
pornographic materials, and "the simple lack of values." One woman lawyer emphasized that
economic conditions are inextricable from the problem of incest and sexual violence. Extreme
poverty results in girls having to share beds with their fathers and brothers, in mothers working
overseas, leaving their daughters vulnerable to abuse, or mothers working in the cane fields and
as domestics in other people's homes, leaving young girls alone for long periods of time.

CONTROVERSIES

A. Clark Centennial Expo Scandal. Charges of alleged massive corruption or misuse of funds
blemished the resulting programs and various projects, one of which was the Centennial
Expo and Amphitheater at the former Clark Air Base in Angeles City, supposedly
Ramos's pet project. Later on it was revealed through a media exposé that a special report
by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) showed how the projects
relating to the Expo site not only revealed the extravagance and inefficiency of the
administration, but also served as a convenient vehicle to affect election fund-raising for
the LAKAS political party of Ramos, which came at the expense of tax-paying citizens
and was in direct violation of the Election Code.

B. Charter Change. During his final years in office, Ramos tried to amend the country's 1987
constitution; a process popularly known to many Filipinos as Charter Change or the so-
called "Cha-Cha". Political analysts were divided as to whether Ramos really wanted to
use Cha-Cha to extend his presidency or only to imbalance his opponents, as the next
presidential election neared. He also intended to extend the term limits of the presidency
to remain in power but her political rival Miriam Defensor-Santiago went to the Supreme
Court and negated extending the term limit of the president, which preserved democracy
at the time.

C. PEA-Amari Scandal. President Fidel Ramos was accused of corruption in the PEA-Amari
deal. The controversial deal involved the acquisition of 158 hectares of reclaimed land on
Manila Bay that was to be converted into so-called Freedom Islands. The deal was forged
in April 1995 as part of the Ramos administration's Manila Bay Master Development
Plan (MBMDP). The PEA-Amari deal displaced over 3,000 fishing and coastal families
in Manila Bay just to give way to what fisherfolk activists from Pambansang Lakas ng
Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) described as "an immoral, illegal
and grossly unconstitutional state venture". Ramos denied accusations that the PEA-
Amari deal was clinched to benefit members of the ruling Lakas-NUCD as alleged by
opposition groups. However, ex-solicitor general Franciso Chavez filed a petition to
 nullify the PEA-Amari deal because the government stood to lose billions of pesos in the
sale of reclaimed lands to Amari.

D. Role in EDSA 2 ouster of President Joseph Estrada. A longstanding criticism of Ramos

was whether his role in the Estrada ouster was motivated by his fear of being prosecuted
in connection with the Centennial Expo and other scams. When Estrada was given
executive clemency after having been found guilty of plunder by the special
Sandiganbayan court in September 2007, Ramos heavily criticized Arroyo's decision.
Estrada's son, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, retaliated by asking Ramos to first "come clean" on
the alleged multi-billion-peso anomalies involved in the PEA-AMARI, IPP and other
deals negotiated during his term.

E. Unsound Economic Policies. Leftist groups have also criticized Ramos' economic reforms
such as privatization, deregulation and trade liberalization, claiming that the economic
growth posted during his presidency was "artificial." They blamed him for the slowdown
of the Philippine economy during the 1997 East Asian financial crisis. The sale of Petron
to Aramco is specifically criticized as resulting to the loss of the government's effective
leverage on domestic oil prices. Along with the deregulation of the entire oil industry,
Petron's privatization is blamed for the continuing surge in oil prices that has particularly
proved to be deleterious to the masses amidst the obtaining high petroleum costs in the
global market. In 1998, Ramos hesitantly admitted that, contrary to what his government
earlier claimed, the economic fundamentals of the country may actually be unsound. His
admission came following the discovery of a secret memorandum issued by the National
Economic Development Authority director-general during the president to tell the
Filipinos the truth about the state of the economy and that they ought to prepare for
worse. According to former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo,
Ramos "has done nothing to reverse or slow down the implementation" of the harmful
IMF-imposed structural reforms.

F. Wikileaks Exposé. On August 30, 2011, Wikileaks exposed reports sent by the United
States Embassy in Manila that contain detail that the Libyan government under
Muammar Gaddafi allegedly contributed US$20,000 to the presidential campaign of
Ramos in 1992. The report said it was former House Speaker Jose de Venecia who
brought Ramos to Gaddafi. Reports said that Ramos and De Venecia "had been engaged
in shady dealings in both Libya and Iraq involving construction contracts for his firm,
and had tried to "repay" his Libyan benefactors by acting as their front man and errand
boy." The same report added that there was a lot of speculation when Ramos and De
Venecia left for a secret trip abroad in middle of the 1992 campaign, and implied that this
connection with the Libyan government was one of the objectives. Section 95 of the
Philippines' Omnibus Election Code enumerates prohibited sources of political
contributions and one of them is " Foreigners and foreign corporations."
 In addition, "It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit or receive any
contribution from any of the persons or entities enumerated herein," the Code said. Sec.
81 of the Code also states," It shall be unlawful for any foreigner, whether judicial or
natural person, to aid any candidate or political party, directly or indirectly, or take part in
or influence in any manner any election, or to contribute or make any expenditure in
connection with any election campaign or partisan political activity." The Wikileaks
exposé makes Ramos administratively and criminally liable under the law. If charged and
convicted for this offense, he can be fined and imprisoned.