The wake for former President Fidel V. Ramos will start on Thursday but will be open to the public only on Sunday and Monday at Heritage Park in Taguig, according to Sam Ramos Jones who posted the schedule in his Facebook account.
Jones, Ramos’ grandson, said they designated specific dates and times for groups and sectors. White attire is recommended for visitors.
There will be daily Mass at 5 p.m. and prepared tributes afterwards. Visiting hours end at 10 p.m.
On Thursday, the wake is open only to government officials from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. followed by members of the Ramos Cabinet and the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation.
On Friday, government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, business community and civil society organizations get chance to visit from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It will be the turn of the members of the former Malacanang press corps, defense press corps and Foreign Correspondent Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
It will be the turn of veterans, military, law enforcement and the West Point Society on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. followed by members of the Rotary Club of Manila from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
On Sunday, the wake is open for public viewing from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. period is reserved for “Ex-Men,” Campaigners, former Office of the President Executives, OPSOG, LAKAS Founders, and close-in staff.
The public is also welcome on Monday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Interment is set 10 a.m. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages visitors to donate to one of the following charitable institutions close to the former president’s heart: Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Veterans Memorial Medical Center and Philippine Red Cross, Hero Foundation Inc., ABS-CBN Lingod Kapamilya Foundation Inc., Center for Health Improvement and Life Development Haus, JG Patnubay Foundation and Ramos Peace and Development Foundation Inc.
Meanwhile, former President and incumbent House Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo mourned the loss of former President Fidel V. Ramos, a close ally.
“Personally, I owe much to FVR. For one, he founded the LAKAS party which merged with my KAMPI. His was the strongest among the voices that rooted for me when the party’s presidential candidate was being discussed in 2004. And I will forever remember how he threw his full support for me during the failed coups in the later part of my Presidency,” said Arroyo, Pampanga’s second district representative.
She said Ramos was “a giant among our leaders.”
“War hero, model soldier, top-caliber diplomat, pillar of later-day Philippine democracy and a champion of our early moves towards globalization, FVR restored our economic competitiveness, having laid out the macro-economic directions for economic progress that the leaders succeeding him improved on,” Arroyo said.