A close friend of the family.
That's how Pangasinan 4th district Rep. Christopher "Toff" de Venecia, son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, described the late former President Fidel V. Ramos, fondly referred to as FVR.
According to Rep. De Venecia, his father, the former speaker was "perhaps the closest political ally of President FVR".
Ramos even "annointed" the ex-speaker as his successor and aggressively campaigned for him in the 1998 elections, it can be recalled.
“The De Venecia and Ramos families have been the closest of friends and political allies because of our shared love for the Philippines and Pangasinan Province," shared the solon, who is the current chairman of the House Committee on Creative industries and Performing Arts
"Speaker De Venecia and my mom, former Congresswoman Gina de Venecia, were full comrades-in-arms of President Ramos on firmly establishing economic reforms and local government progress,” he noted
The younger De Venecia credited FVR “for a significant part” of his political education through the years.
“He and my dad, Speaker Jose de Venecia, and the late Senator Raul Manglapus founded Lakas and put our country on a sure path of democratic reforms and civic education on Christian Democratic values.
“President FVR was the staunchest advocate of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle, the creative industries and performing arts, education, agricultural and fisheries development, and sports,” claimed Cong Toff.
He also said President Ramos was “the moving force” in implementing the Local Government Code of 1991 during his term.
“Our country and Pangasinan would not be progressive as it is now were it not for President Ramos and his administration,” Rep. De Venecia added.
Ramos was born on March 18, 1928 in Lingayen, Pangasinan. His parents were lawyer Narciso Ramos and educator Angela Valdez.