BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Army’s 302nd and 303rd Infantry Brigades in Negros Island flew the Philippine flag at half-mast in their respective military camps as they joined the nation in mourning former President Fidel Ramos who passed away on July 31.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez, declared a period of national mourning from July 31 to August 9 this year, over the passing of the former president
“The national flag shall be flown at half-mast from sunrise to sunset, on all government buildings and installations throughout the Philippines and abroad, for a period of ten (10) days,” the proclamation read.
Ramos, who founded the elite Philippine Army Special Forces, was known not only as the 12th President of the Republic of the Philippines but also as a great military leader, said a statement from the Special Forces Regiment (Airborne).
Among his staff officers at the Special Forces was then 1Lt. Francisco Agudong, who later became the provincial PC-INP commander of Negros Occidental, in the early 1980s.
We commemorate and remember President Ramos’ contributions to the country, as a soldier, a great military leader, a President, and a hero, the statement said.
Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, in a separate statement, said that Ramos will be remembered for his peace agreements, for encouraging family planning practices, bringing about economic reforms, which led to the deregulation of major industries and renewed investor confidence in the country.
He recalled that it was during the Ramos era that the country was recognized as the promising “tiger economy” of Asia, as he also led the way to a political stability, despite several coup attempts during the Aquino administration.
Lacson also said that the legacy of Ramos and his astute leadership, as well as honorable service will always be esteemed by the entire nation.*
