(UPDATED) NDRRMC chief resigns; Retired general eyed as replacement

MANILA, Philippines - National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council executive director Benito Ramos has resigned from his post to take care of his ailing wife.

Ramos submitted his one-page resignation letter to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Jan. 8, a copy of which was furnished to the media Friday.

“I regret to submit my request for the third time to resign my designation as Administrator, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and concurrent Executive Director, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council,” Ramos said in the letter.

“I now must yield this post for the sake of compassion to my ailing spouse in order to spend more time with her,” he added.

Sources said Ramos tried to resign in May 2011 and May last year but Gazmin refused to forward the letter to the president.

Defense department spokesman Peter Galvez confirmed that Ramos indeed tried to quit from his post previously.

“This is his third time to submit a resignation. During his first two attempts, the secretary asked him to stay put because of the critical nature of his job,” Galvez said in a phone interview.

In a text message, Gazmin confirmed that he had forwarded Ramos’ resignation letter to President Aquino.

Galvez said Gazmin had considered the health condition of Ramos’ wife, who is suffering from diabetes.

In his letter, Ramos said he was resigning not to retreat from public service but “to face the hard realities of lifetime partnership commitment in the most fundamental unit of society.”

“Having endured the demands of my duties and responsibilities and believing that I have done by best in serving the OCD-DND (Department of National Defense) and NDRRMC, my efficacy on the job is now being gravely affected,” he said.

Ramos is confident that his successor would be able to meet the public’s expectations and to perform the job well.

Retired general to succeed Ramos?

Gazmin said retired military general Eduardo del Rosario is being considered to succeed Ramos in the NDRRMC.

“Pinag-aaralan si retired Gen. del Rosario (Retired Gen. del Rosario is being studied),” the defense chief when asked who would replace Ramos.

Del Rosario retired from the service last November as commander of the Tanay-based 2nd Infantry Division.

A member of Philippine Military Academy class ’80, del Rosario headed Task Force Kalihim, which conducted search operations after the aircraft carrying Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed off Masbate last August. 

“Whoever will replace him (Ramos) will face a challenge since he has contributed a lot in our disaster preparedness efforts,” Galvez said.

Employees saddened by resignation

Galvez said employees of the Office of Civil Defense were saddened by Ramos’ resignation.

“He (Ramos) is very effective in making everyone aware of the importance of disaster preparedness,” Galvez said.

An employee of the Defense department who requested anonymity said she would not forget Ramos’ social skills and his dedication to his work.

“He is a good person, very workaholic. He works even on holidays. He is very simple,” she said.

Even media men covering the defense beat lauded Ramos for being accessible and hardworking.

“He did not mind sleeplessness and hunger just to accommodate the media especially during times of calamities,” said Aya Macalma, reporter of PTV 4.

“Undersecretary Ramos is so hardworking and approachable. He does not know how to take a vacation,” a radio reporter said.

A broadsheet reporter noted that the NDRRMC Operations Center was opened to the media during the time of Ramos.

“Before he (Ramos) assumed, people in the NDRRMC operations center prohibited the media from conducting interviews,” the reporter said.