THE 12th President of the Philippines, Fidel Valdez Ramos, has passed away at the age of 94.Based on reports, Ramos, also known as FVR, succumbed to complications due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infection at the Makati Medical Center on Sunday, July 31, 2022.In a statement, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it mourns the death of Ramos.“The nation lost a great leader. We are one with our fellow countrymen in expressing our deepest condolences to the family of the former president,” PNP Public Information Office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba said.“He shall be remembered for his valuable contribution [to] improving the lives of the Filipinos. More than being a military leader and a government official, he served as a good example to humanity through his incomparable wisdom and deeds,” he added.Ramos, a native of Lingayen, Pangasinan, is the second former president who died in the past 13 months.Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, the 15th president of the Republic, died at the age of 61 on June 24, 2021.Ramos is the second president in the post-Martial Law Philippines, succeeding Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, the 11th president and Noynoy’s mother.Ramos’ term began on June 30, 1992 and ended on June 30, 1998.Before his presidency, Ramos had a career in the military. After graduating from the United States Military Academy in 1950, he became part of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea that fought alongside United Nations’ forces in the Korean War, a conflict between the totalitarian North Korea and democratic South Korea fought from 1950 to 1953.Ramos served as the chief of the Philippine Constabulary from 1972 to Feb. 25, 1986 under President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from Feb. 25, 1986 to Jan. 21, 1988, then as the Defense secretary under President Corazon Aquino from Jan. 22, 1988 to July 18, 1991.Ramos, then as armed forces chief, and then Defense secretary Juan Ponce Enrile played a pivotal role in ousting the dictatorship—their announcement of support to Corazon Aquino following the fraud-riddled presidential elections of 1986 sparked the People Power Revolution on Feb. 22-25 in that same year, forcing the Marcoses into exile. (with KAL)