Local and foreign business groups expressed sorrow over the passing of Former President Fidel V. Ramos, whom they remembered as instrumental in the opening of the domestic economy and bringing in resurgence in business optimism in his inspiring leadership.
The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) condoled with the Ramos Family and joins the country in mourning the passing of the former president.
“We indeed lost a great Filipino leader, statesman, peacemaker and stabilizer,” MAP said in a statement.
His administration was distinguished by impressive reforms on energy, economic liberalization, infrastructure and social reform, among others, which fueled an engine for national progress built on his twin themes of people empowerment and global competitiveness.
“FVR was an epitome of management excellence for nation-building. His good governance program is unparalleled. He has undoubtedly served the country with the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and transparency. His unifying leadership and passion for CSW (complete staff work) has become and should continue to be the benchmark for national and local governance,” MAP said.
MAP said that FVR will forever be remembered for his genuine love of country, overwhelming dedication to public service and excellent stewardship of the Philippine economy in the midst of formidable challenges.
From the foreign business groups, the seven chambers of the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines expressed their condolences to the family of President Fidel V. Ramos.
In 2013, JFC said they honored President Ramos by awarding him the Lifetime Achievement Award at our annual Arangkada Philippines Forum for his outstanding contributions and superb leadership over several decades to achieving highly significant and lasting institutional and policy reforms of long-term benefit to the people and economy of the Republic of the Philippines.
“We remember President Ramos for his strong efforts to promote foreign investment into the Philippines, to create jobs for Filipinos, and to reduce poverty in the country as a partner in all our chambers’ advocacy initiatives, from his visits in our capitals in Asia, Europe, and North America, and through reform legislations which he championed through the Philippine Congress,” the JFC said in a joint statement.
“We join Filipino political and economic leaders in remembering the great contributions of President Ramos to making the Philippines the Asian Tiger economy that it has become to be.”
The JFC is a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese, Korean chambers and PAMURI. It represents over 3,000 member companies engaged in around $100 billion worth of trade and some $30 billion worth of investments in the Philippines. The JFC supports and promotes open international trade, increased foreign investment, and improved conditions for business to benefit both the Philippines and the countries the JFC members represent.
The Ayala Group said they joined the country in remembering the “immense contributions of the former president to the Filipino nation.”
“FVR dedicated his life to serving Filipinos - as chief of the Philippine Constabulary, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Defense Secretary, and the 12th President of the Republic of the Philippines,” said Ayala Corp. Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala in his Facebook post.
Of his remarkable contributions to the country, Zobel said “The private sector will remember FVR for bringing about a new climate of economic optimism and openness during his presidency. He liberalized the Philippine economy and embraced private-public partnership, which enabled nation building-partners like the Ayala Group to improve access to basic services from water infrastructure to telecommunications. To this day, such partnership continues to improve the lives of Filipinos and advance the greater good.”
Businessman Ramon S. Ang described FVR as a “great Filipino leader, public servant, visionary, and peacemaker.”
According to the President of San Miguel Corp., FVR’s presidency has “laid the foundation on which the country’s economic revival firmly stands.” The former president also showed that with unity, hope, purpose, and determination, Filipinos can do great things.
“Our nation has lost a remarkable man. But to us who have been lucky enough to know him personally, we lost a great friend and mentor. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of the many people whose lives he touched and changed for the better,” Ang said.