By Dr. Dencio S Acop (Ret. Col.)
The cigar of course! It was a trademark of both Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill of Great Britain and Fidel Valdez Ramos of the Philippines. But there was more between them than just that cigar. In the many years that I served under FVR, I often wondered where he got his inspiration about his dedication to public service. Then I saw the footages on Churchill and I suddenly knew. The resemblance in the lives of these two great men is actually unmistakable even as it is uncanny. Almost every facet in their biographies has a parallelism that is marked by development into their shared destiny of crisis leadership only these two men could have provided. Both were born into the domestic elites of their societies giving them the rare advantages in being ahead of the pack in terms of wealth, education, early exposure to politics, and all other opportunities that ordinary men can only dream of. The fathers of both men were political leaders who served in both the executive and legislative branches of government. Public service awareness was therefore imbued in these two future leaders while growing up. Both became soldiers who graduated from their top military schools: Sandhurst (1894) and West Point (1950). Both became bureaucratic and political leaders of their respective countries. Both were successful crisis leaders. And both were deservedly multi-awarded.
The public service record of Winston Churchill and Fidel Ramos reveals an uncanny resemblance. Noteworthily, the successive experiences and positions of these two men in government would serve them well in the future crisis leadership roles they were being prepared for. Both were men of destiny. Both served in uniform. Churchill served his commission until Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army while Ramos did his full term in the military becoming General and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Churchill saw action in Cuba, India, Sudan, and South Africa serving in cavalry and infantry units like the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, 21st Lancers, Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars, 31st Punjab Regiment, 35th Sikh Regiment, and South African Light Horse. For his part, Ramos served in infantry units in Korea and Vietnam apart from his own country. He founded and commanded the first Special Forces Group. Like Churchill, Ramos rose quickly up the ladder and was appointed Chief of the Philippine Constabulary and thereafter Armed Forces Chief of Staff. The public service records of both men were long and continuous, briefly interrupted only by moments of political exigencies. Between 1908 and 1955 (after 14 years with the British Army), Churchill occupied the positions of Undersecretary of State for the Colonies, President of the Board of Trade, Secretary of State for the Home Department, First Lord of the Admiralty, Minister of Munitions, Secretary of State for War, Minister of Air, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Minister of Defense, and Prime Minister twice (1940-1945 and 1951-1955). The varied experiences and accomplishments of Churchill, especially in developing Britain’s armed forces capabilities and all-around exposure to civil, homeland departments would serve his home country well when its darkest hour fell in the days leading up to World War II. For his part, Ramos served as Secretary of Defense following his stint as AFP Chief of Staff and later was elected President of the Philippine Republic. Both Churchill and Ramos dedicated around a half-century of their lives to public service. And serve their country splendidly they both did. Each was a man of destiny whose entire life was meant to serve a single purpose when that moment of truth arrived. England’s darkest hour was also Churchill’s moment of glory. Having been the only man to stand up to Adolf Hitler before the Allies came together cemented Churchill’s place in history. He was selected Prime Minister because he was the only man for the hour. On the other hand, Ramos’ destiny came when his crucial role and decision meant either continued subjugation of the Filipino people to a home-grown tyrant or a chance at giving back power to the people. The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution catapulted Ramos eventually to the Presidency. Each crisis leader would later admit in his memoir how everything that happened before felt like it was aimed at that critical moment which had his name written on it.
Even the personal characteristics and lives of Churchill and Ramos bore strong similarities. Both men married spouses who totally supported their dedication to public service. Both unions resulted in five offsprings. The two leaders were indefatigable in their zest for public service. It was almost like their DNA was suited only for that one aim which was to use one’s gifts in service to country. Each man was forever restless and energetic. Churchill and Ramos were both men of action. Well, being a soldier trained each one to be so. I cannot help citing this quote about Churchill: “Drinking whisky, smoking cigars, making fun of people with his very sharp wit, writing, bricklaying, and painting”. While both were men of action, they were also deliberate men of words. A sore Lord Halifax blamed the English language for his political loss to Churchill! But truth is that since Britain had not much to defend itself with without the United States entering the war, Churchill, with his gift of tongue and pen, could only resort to psychological warfare to rally the British people and confuse Hitler through the radio which was the only available communication technology at the time. Ramos actually picked up on this. He attended the Psychological Operations Course at Fort Bragg and used this mastery of psychological warfare to win the people in 1986 and the presidency eventually. Like Churchill, Ramos could actually pick up very quickly. In hindsight, I saw Churchill in Ramos, as I now remember having served closely under the latter. My former boss worked round the clock. He worked even in the car, boat, plane, or chopper. We did road runs, parachute jumps, swim laps, underwater dives, endless inspections and travels, appointments 24/7, you name it. And yes, like Churchill, Ramos too was a stickler for perfect English writing composition and grammar. I still remember those red in-line comments on draft letters and speeches I wrote for him. Like Churchill, Ramos kept abreast of everything that was happening. His every working day began with newspaper clippings already waiting on his desk. His carefully crafted speeches are now neatly compiled in hundreds of volumes inside the FVR Museum and Library.
Churchill and Ramos were naturally multi-awarded for their many notable achievements in life. Churchill won the Nobel Prize for Literature (1953). His many awards include: British War and Victory Medals (for service in WWI), 1939-1945 Star and Africa Star (for service in WWII), Distinguished Service and Queen’s Sudan Medals (for service in Sudan), Croix de Guerre (from France in 1945), India Medal (for service in India), Queen’s South Africa Medal (for service in South Africa), Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (by Queen Elizabeth II, 1953), Order of Merit (1946), and Order of the Companions of Honor (1922). For his part, Ramos received the 1997 Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize for establishing peace with a long-time insurgent enemy, the More National Liberation Front. In 2000, he also received the Distinguished Graduate Award from his alma mater, West Point. Ramos’ other awards include: Philippine Legion of Honor, Distinguished Conduct Star, Distinguished Service Star, Outstanding Achievement Medal, Military Merit Medal, Korean Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, United Nations Korea Medal, and various foreign honors during his presidency (1992-1998).
Despite their illustrious achievements and productive careers, however, both Churchill and Ramos died unhappy men. They left this earth depressed and disappointed in seeing the fruits of their labor go to waste through the weakening of their respective states in the face of bigger challenges ahead. Churchill passed on in 1965 at the age of 90 in London, England longing for the years when Britain was a great power so it could better stand up to a menacing authoritarian power that was the Soviet Union. On the other hand, Ramos died in 2022 at age 94 in Manila, Philippines distancing himself from a despotic administration he helped put in power. Unable to find a true successor, Ramos had to content himself with mediocre political leaders who squandered away the painstaking gains he dedicated his life towards. Like Churchill who stayed on as member of parliament even after he left the office of prime minister due to poor health, Ramos tried to remain relevant in public life to safeguard the gains of his administration. Unfortunately, growing corruption and incompetence at the highest levels of public office ate away at these gains until they were no more. And all that was left was the apathy and helplessness felt during the tumultuous years leading up to the revolution that powered the people.
