FVR turns 90
The saying that ‘age does not matter’ fits well with former president Fidel V. Ramos, who turns 90 today. Ramos or FVR, as he is also widely known, still plays golf with vigor aside from doing push-ups and sit-ups from time to time to keep him in shape.
Mel Bergado, FVR’s close aide, said the former president always makes it a point to play a nine-hole golf game on weekends to relax and stay fit and healthy.
Ramos plays golf once a week at the Camp Aguinaldo golf course in Quezon City with a retinue of golfing buddies, mostly retired military officers and former members of his cabinet, including National Security Adviser Hermogenes C. Esperon Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, Secretary Ernesto Pernia, former police general Avelino Razon and former Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita, among others.
According to Bergado, FVR still does 20 push-ups despite his age. The former President also does sit-ups once in a while. He celebrated his 90th birth anniversary three days before the actual date jointly with his wife, former First Lady Amelita ‘Ming’ Ramos on Thursday, March 15.
The joint celebration was tendered by the Board of Trustees of the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation at the Manila Polo Club in Makati City.
FVR also took the occasion to launch his latest book ‘Challenges of Change.’
Despite his age, FVR remains witty as ever and called his friends by their names during the book launching event.
During the program that followed, the audience was treated to an impromptu dance number from FVR and Mrs. Ramos.
FVR’s regular diet, Bergado said, consists of vegetables, particularly ampalaya, salmon belly, a piece of fried chicken, a little rice, kamote and banana and some ice cream, especially when a golfing buddy scores a birdie.
Another ‘secret’ of FVR’s longevity is his bagful of jokes and lively conversation during a lull on the golf course.
Once he said that the secret of living up to 100 years old is simple: “Make sure you reach 99 because there is a big possibility you reach the century mark!”