In Silliman University: Ramos opens FVR Reading Center

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Former President Fidel V. Ramos will bequeath his documents, papers and books of his presidency to the FVR Reading Center that he formally opened on Monday during the 113th Founders Day celebration of Silliman University in this city.

Silliman president Dr. Ben Malayang III said the university would ensure to preserve these documents of the Ramos presidency so that future generations including the scholars will have access to these papers.

Malayang explained that the Center was earlier named a Presidential Library but the former president wanted to tone down the tag although it will remain a full-research library on foreign policy and local programs for good governance for future students.

“This is going to be a mine field for Philippine foreign policy for the next five to 50 years and together with the domestic policy issues on the Bangsa Moro concerns.”

According to Malayang, it was during the Ramos presidency that a lot of issues started, including the peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front and the approach to the South China Sea controversy. The Ramos papers on the China Sea conflict have drawn much interest to the Silliman community, he said.

Malayang hoped that Ramos will bestow on Silliman and keep in trust the documents and presidential papers, which are a treasure trove of scholarly information.

Among the Ramos papers were the former president’s innovative perspective and solution to the power crisis through investment incentives for private investors that led to privatization during his time. Another was on Ramos move to strengthen relations among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Center will also have Ramos’ thoughts on education as an effective counter move against terrorism, violent conflict, thermal nuclear war from cyber space, intercontinental ballistic missiles and robots, weapons of mass destruction and even ebola virus.

There should be weapons of upliftment instead, and these are universities, learning centers and training centers that are effective and competitive in the world of the 21st century, said Ramos.

Ramos had argued that the common threats to mankind should not be addressed by building aircraft carriers and fighter jets, among others. More highlights of the Ramos presidency were his innovative programs for the environment, which are contained in some of his documents for the Center at Silliman.

The 87-year-old former president had considered the few books he wrote as his only legacy, as he jested by saying: “We only have a little pork barrel during our time, and that the former National Treasurer Leonor Briones can explain that further.”

Briones, now a professor and chair of the SU board of trustees signed the memorandum of agreement for the establishment of the FVR Reading Center together with Ramos himself and Malayang. The signing was witnessed by university officials and former SU president Angel Alcala, who was the DENR secretary during the Ramos presidency.

Other Negrenses who were part of the then Ramos administration and attended the SU Founders Day celebration were Malayang himself as DENR undersecretary and Chito Villanueva as press secretary, General Ramon Montaño, former Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, and now City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarrria. —Juancho R. Gallarde