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84-689: The Metropolitan Manila Transit Corporation (MMTC) was a government-owned transport company in Metro Manila , the Philippines . At its peak, the MMTC operated several bus routes in Metro Manila. It was most well known for its Love Bus and double-decker bus routes. After World War II , the pre-war tranvía streetcar system in Manila was left destroyed, leaving a gap in the city's public transport infrastructure that

168-686: A flat rate system with a fare of ₱0.70 (equivalent to ₱7 in 2021) per zone with a special fare of ₱1.85 (equivalent to ₱18 in 2021) per zone. The Love Bus also similarly operated on a flat rate system. In 1979, the fare was set at ₱2.50 (equivalent to ₱56 in 2021). By 1984, this amount had increased to ₱5.50 (equivalent to ₱52 in 2021). By 1990, it had risen to ₱8.50 (equivalent to ₱44 in 2021). In 1984, MMTC operated 54 ordinary bus routes, 28 air-conditioned bus (Love Bus) routes, five limited bus routes, and three double-decker bus routes. In 1984, MMTC operated 28 Love Bus routes, where 27 routes were within Metro Manila limits while one route

252-764: A government-owned and controlled corporation called the Manila Transit Corporation (MTC). The MTC would serve the role of integrating all public transportation operations in the region under a single corporate entity, thereby streamlining services and eliminating the issues caused by the proliferation of independent transport operators. It was created with a capital stock of ₱10 million (equivalent to ₱282,419,326 in 2021) divided into 3 million shares . Of these shares, one million shares may be sold to individuals or entities operating public transport vehicles in Metro Manila. On November 7, 1975, Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 824, establishing Metro Manila and

336-1093: A Congressional Committee in October 1998 to help exonerate said officials of any wrongdoing. Ramos was accused of corruption in the PEA-Amari deal. The controversial deal involved the acquisition of 158 hectares (390 acres) of reclaimed land on Manila Bay that was to be converted into "Freedom Islands". The deal was forged in April 1995 as part of the Ramos administration's Manila Bay Master Development Plan (MBMDP). The PEA-Amari deal–in addition to other projects in Manila Bay—displaced over 3,000 fishing and coastal families in Manila Bay to give way to what fisherfolk activists from Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) described as "an immoral, illegal and grossly unconstitutional state venture". Ramos denied accusations that

420-428: A bill that returned capital punishment with the electric chair (method used from 1923 to 1976, making Philippines the only country to do so outside U.S.) "until the gas chamber could be installed" . However, because the previously-used chair was destroyed earlier, no one was electrocuted nor gassed. The Philippines adopted the lethal injection ; after his presidency, some people were put to death by this means, until

504-745: A billion pesos each: Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) with P3.616 billion; Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) with P2.5 billion; Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) with P2.107 billion; Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) with P1.577 billion; Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) with P1.5 billion; Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) with P1.422 billion; and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) with P1.05 billion. List adapted from Integrated Corporate Reporting System's list. Presidency of Fidel V. Ramos The presidency of Fidel V. Ramos , also known as

588-482: A fleet of air-conditioned buses that had a monocoque body design, which was considered a significant milestone at the time as before 1975, all buses in the Philippines were flatbed trucks mounted with wooden bodies. Its former fleet initially consisted of buses made by industry giants Hino , Mercedes-Benz , and Volvo , then expanded into then-lesser known brands such as Ford , Fiat , and four other companies. The Love Bus had also operated double-decker buses , being

672-601: A framework for negotiating and formalizing trade agreements, and a dispute resolution process aimed at enforcing participants' adherence to WTO agreements which are signed by representatives of member governments and ratified by their parliaments . Most of the issues that the WTO focuses on derive from previous trade negotiations, especially from the Uruguay Round (1986–1994). The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis , which started in Thailand,

756-556: A motion for reconsideration and a petition for certiorari , but these were denied by the courts. In 1995, the Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of DMCI, finding no legal basis for MMTC to repossess the buses or sell them at auction. Both MMTC and DMCI filed motions for reconsideration, with MMTC arguing it was justified to do so under a lease-purchase agreement, while DMCI argued that MMTC did not ensure just compensation as required by MO No. 267. DMCI also sought damages , claiming

840-512: A rate of 7.2 percent and 5.2 percent respectively. The annual inflation rate had dropped to 5.9 percent from its high of 9.1 percent in 1995. By the late 1990s, the Philippines' economic growth gained favorable comparisons with other Asian countries such as Taiwan , Thailand , South Korea , and Malaysia . The Philippine economy took a sharp downturn during the Asian financial crisis of 1997. Its fiscal deficit in 1998 reached P49.981 billion from

924-409: A seating capacity of 59, while the limited buses had 58 seats. The double-decker buses measured 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in width, 4.7 m (15 ft) in height, and 11.0 m (36.1 ft) in length, and had 100 seats. The Love Bus measured 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, 4.7 m (15 ft) high, and 10.0 m (32.8 ft) long, with a seating capacity of 54. The Love Bus formerly ran on

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1008-400: A semi-cooperative plan, where the driver could avail bulk purchases of spare parts and maintenance services from MTC. At its peak, the MMTC operated 248 taxicab units of various models. The MMTC eventually shut down its taxicab operations in 1982 and sold the units to private operators. The MMTC was governed by a board of directors consisting of six ex-officio cabinet members . The board

1092-479: A specific program or project. Subsidies from the National Government in 2011 amounted to 21 billion Philippine pesos . In the 2013 fiscal year, the national government gave P71.9 billion pesos to GOCCs in subsidies, nearly twice the 44.7 billion pesos that was programmed in the budget. In 2014, 77.04 billion pesos was spent on GOCCs by the national government, 3% of which was classified as subsidies and 97%

1176-606: A surplus of P1.564 billion in 1997. The peso depreciated (fell in value) to P40.89 per U.S. dollar from its previous rate of P29.47 to a dollar. The annual growth rate of the GNP fell to 0.1 percent in 1998 from 5.3 percent in 1997. Despite these setbacks, the Philippine economy fared better than that of some of its Asian neighbors, and other nations praised the Ramos administration for its "good housekeeping." During his administration, Ramos began implementing economic reforms intended to open up

1260-407: Is blamed for the continuing surge in oil prices that has particularly proved to be deleterious to the masses amidst the obtaining high petroleum costs in the global market. In 1998, Ramos hesitantly admitted that, contrary to what his government earlier claimed, the economic fundamentals of the country may actually be unsound. His admission came following the discovery of a secret memorandum issued by

1344-528: The 4th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' Summit in the Philippines in November 1996. He also instituted reforms in the tax system which includes a forced increase on VAT (E-VAT law) from 4% to 10% mandated by World Bank and the International Monetary Fund . Under Ramos' administration, the Philippines experienced economic growth and stability. Ramos' visions of " Philippines 2000 " led

1428-628: The Communist Party of the Philippines - National Democratic Front , which operates the New People's Army , led by Jose Maria Sison . Although he battled Communist rebels as a young lieutenant in the 1950s, Ramos made a bold move when he signed into law Republic Act 7636, which repealed the Anti-Subversion Law . With its repeal, membership in the once-outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines became legal. The Ramos administration speeded

1512-721: The Metropolitan Manila Commission . Following this, on December 25, 1975, the MTC was renamed as the Metropolitan Manila Transit Corporation (MMTC) and its focus was expanded to cover the newly-created metropolitan area through the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 860. The decree also exempted the MMTC from regulation under the Public Service Act . On January 26, 1976, the Love Bus was launched by

1596-575: The National Economic Development Authority director-general during the president to tell the Filipinos the truth about the state of the economy and that they ought to prepare for worse. According to former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo, Ramos "has done nothing to reverse or slow down the implementation" of the harmful IMF-imposed structural reforms. On August 30, 2011, leaked diplomatic cables sent by

1680-551: The People Power Revolution , which led to Marcos' resignation, the subsequent Aquino administration shifted the government's focus towards deregulating and privatizing the transport sector and disposing of state-owned bus operations, particularly those of MMTC. During the Ramos administration , a study group was created in 1994 to formulate a plan to privatize the MMTC. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to liquidate MMTC,

1764-563: The People's Reform Party . Ramos also got the lowest plurality in the Philippine electoral history, and beat the previous election for the closest margin of victory, percentage-wise (this record would later be beaten by the 2004 election ). Ramos appointed the following to the Supreme Court of the Philippines : As president, Ramos issued pardons to the following: Ramos embarked on an ambitious development plan dubbed "Philippines 2000". Under

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1848-617: The Ramos administration spanned for six years from June 30, 1992, to June 30, 1998. Ramos is the first Protestant president of the country, and the first Christian Democrat to be elected, being the founder of Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats Party). He was included as one of the most influential leaders and the unofficial spokesman of liberal democracy in Asia. The first few years of Ramos' administration (1992–1995) were characterized by economic boom , technological development , political stability and efficient delivery of basic needs to

1932-528: The Spratly Islands , one hundred and thirty nautical miles off the coast of Palawan . The Philippine government issued a formal protest over China 's occupation of the reef and the Philippine Navy arrested sixty-two Chinese fishermen at Half Moon Shoal , eighty kilometers from Palawan . A week later, following confirmation from surveillance pictures that the structures were of military design, Ramos had

2016-645: The United States Embassy in Manila revealed that the Libyan government under Muammar Gaddafi allegedly contributed about US$ 200,000 to the presidential campaign of Ramos in 1992. The report said it was former House Speaker Jose de Venecia who brought Ramos to Gaddafi. On June 12, 1998, the Philippines celebrated its centennial year of independence from Spain . The celebrations were held simultaneously nationwide by Ramos and Filipino communities worldwide. A commission

2100-521: The business community . In 1992, the government acquired and distributed 382 hectares of land with nearly a quarter of a million farmer - beneficiaries . This constituted 41% of all land titles distributed by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during the last thirty years. But by the end of 1996, the DAR had distributed only 58.25% of the total area it was supposed to cover. From January to December 1997,

2184-640: The Centennial Expo and Amphitheater at the former Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga . The commemorative projects, particularly those undertaken at the former Clark Air Base, were hounded by illegal electioneering and corruption controversies even years after the Centennial celebrations . A special report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) showed how the projects relating to

2268-533: The Constitution through a signature campaign or " People's Initiative ". The Supreme Court dismissed the petition on the grounds that the People's Initiative mode does not have enough enabling law for the proposed revisions or amendments in the 1987 constitution. Had the petition been successful, a national plebiscite would have been held for proposed changes. The Ramos administration from June 1992 to June 1998 defined

2352-457: The DAR distributed 206,612 hectares. That year, since 1987, the DAR had distributed a total of 2.66 million hectares which benefited almost 1.8 million tenant - farmers . One major problem that the Ramos administration faced was the lack of funds to support and implement the program. The ₱ 50 million, allotted by R.A. No. 6657 to finance the CARP from 1988 to 1998, was no longer sufficient to support

2436-558: The Expo site not only revealed the extravagance and inefficiency of the Ramos administration, but also served as convenient vehicle to effect election fund-raising for the LAKAS political party of Ramos at the expense of the tax-paying Filipinos and in violation of the Election Code. The Centennial Expo Pilipino project, intended to be the centerpiece for the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of

2520-597: The GOCC Governance Act (Republic Act No. 10149), GOCCs are overseen by the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations (GCG). The Governance Commission is the "government's central advisory and oversight body over the public corporate sector" according to the Official Gazette of the Philippine government. The Governance Commission among other duties prepares for the president of

2604-487: The MMTC as an attached agency of the MOTC. By 1980, the MMTC shifted from its original role in monopolizing all public transport operations in Metro Manila to supporting private operators through integrating fewer but larger bus consortiums, acting as a government tool for achieving broader social and developmental goals, such as pioneering new services and routes. In 1982, the MMTC reported its first profitable year. This would be

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2688-556: The MMTC. It was popularized as the first air-conditioned bus service in the country, as well as its strict observance of timetables . By May 1977, the Love Bus had carried over 5.34 million passengers, with a study in February 1976 stating that 19 percent of its passengers used to commute by car. On June 27, 1977, Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 1168, increasing MMTC's corporate stock to ₱25 million (equivalent to ₱706,048,315 in 2021) divided into 6 million shares. The number of shares

2772-412: The PEA-Amari deal was clinched to benefit members of the ruling Lakas-NUCD as alleged by opposition groups. However, ex-solicitor general Francisco Chavez filed a petition to nullify the PEA-Amari deal because the government stood to lose billions of pesos in the sale of reclaimed lands to Amari. On April 25, 1995, PEA entered into a joint venture with Amari to develop Freedom Islands and on June 8 of

2856-411: The Philippines (DBP) (P3.16-billion) and Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) (P6.24-billion). Under Republic Act No. 7656, all GOCCs are required to "declare and remit at least 50% of their annual net earnings as cash, stock or property dividends to the National Government." The Commission on Audit reports that in 2013 of the 219 profitable GOCCs, only 45 remitted a full 50% share of their dividends to

2940-462: The Philippines a shortlist of candidates for appointment by the president to GOCC boards. Many but not all GOCCs have their own charter or law outlining its responsibilities and governance. GOCCs receive from the government "subsidies" and "program funds". Subsidies cover the day-to-day operations of the GOCCs when revenues are insufficient while program funds are given to profitable GOCCs to pay for

3024-545: The Philippines , with a term limited to two years. In the aftermath of the 1989 Philippine coup attempt against the Aquino administration , bus operators JD Transit, Inc. and DM Consortium Inc. ceased operations, causing disruption to bus services. In response, President Corazon Aquino issued Memorandum Order No. 267 on December 7, 1989, directing the Department of Transportation and Communications to temporarily direct or take over

3108-743: The Philippines successfully hosted the APEC Leaders' Summit , which resulted in the Manila Action Plan for APEC 1996 (MAPA '96). The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995 (R.A. 8042) provided a framework for stronger protection of Filipino workers abroad, with the creation of the Legal Assistance Fund and the Assistance-to-Nationals Fund, and the designation in the DFA of a Legal Assistant for Migrant Workers' Affairs, with

3192-455: The Philippines' energy sector. Congress not only created the Department of Energy , but gave the president special emergency powers to resolve the power crisis. Using those powers, Ramos issued licenses to independent power producers (IPP) to provide additional power plants within 24 months. Ramos issued supply contracts that guaranteed the government would buy whatever power the IPPs produced under

3276-454: The Philippines. Ramos forged a peace agreement with military rebels and the secessionist Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). In 1993, he ended a power crisis that crippled Filipino homes and industries for two years. He implemented a comprehensive Social Reform Agenda (SRA) to address poverty. In the 1992 presidential election, retired general Fidel Ramos of Lakas–NUCD narrowly defeated populist candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago of

3360-481: The area to the Shoppers Paradise FTI Corporation in the 2000s, then sold most of the area to Ayala Land in 2012, developing most of the area into Arca South . In 1984, both ordinary buses and double-decker buses had a fare of ₱0.80 (equivalent to ₱8 in 2021) for the first 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) and ₱0.21 (equivalent to ₱2 in 2021) for each succeeding kilometer. Limited buses operated on

3444-658: The buses had deteriorated during the prolonged legal battle. In 2001, the Court of Appeals upheld the decision against MMTC and ordered additional compensation, including ₱2 million for DMCI’s offices. MMTC appealed to the Supreme Court, contesting the ruling on the repossession and the ₱2 million compensation. The Supreme Court denied MMTC's appeal in 2007, affirming the Court of Appeals’ decision. Similar state-owned enterprises Government-owned and controlled corporation Under

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3528-480: The changes will bring more accountability, continuity and responsibility to the "gridlock" prone Philippine version of presidential bicameral system. Some politically active religious groups, opposition politicians, business tycoons and left wing organizations opposed the Charter change process that was supposed to lead to a national referendum. Critics argued that the proposed constitutional changes for one would benefit

3612-475: The company was eventually sold to its blue-collar employees on April 10, 1995. Its remaining 155 buses were then acquired and operated by four groups formed by the former employees: MMTC retained a skeletal workforce of 12 employees and focused on asset liquidation, auditing the four groups operating its former buses, and collecting outstanding payments from prior obligations. After the company had completely ceased operations, its northern terminal and garage on

3696-500: The contract; the contracted prices were denominated in U.S. dollars to entice foreign investment in local power plants. Following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis however, this structure became a problem, as the Philippine peso lost half of its value, and the local price for the contracted electricity essentially doubled. This resulted in the Philippine price of electricity becoming the second-highest in Asia, after Japan. The country

3780-634: The corner of North Avenue and Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City was demolished and returned to the National Housing Authority (NHA).. The area of that property was then developed in a joint venture between Ayala Land and the NHA into Vertis North . Its 3,593-square-meter (0.3593 ha) southern terminal in Taguig was demolished and returned to Food Terminal Inc. (FTI), which leased the lot and much of

3864-453: The country into a newly industrialized country in the world and the " Tiger Cub Economy in Asia ". Ramos ended the government’s monopoly over the skies and opened aviation to new players. When Ramos was elected in May 1992, the Philippines had been experiencing widespread rotating power outages , known as "brownouts", for nearly a year; this happened suddenly when growing customer demand exceeded

3948-580: The country's independence from Spain, also earned extensive criticisms for being an expensive white elephant project that disadvantaged the government at the cost of ₱ 9 billion, or 1.7 percent of the country's 1998 national budget. Six ranking Ramos cabinet members and officials, headed by Chair Salvador Laurel (former Vice-President) of the Centennial Commission were cleared by the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan (People's Court). Ramos appeared before

4032-556: The death penalty was abolished again in 2006. Ramos, a military general himself, made peace with the rebel panels. He was instrumental in the signing of the final peace agreement between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) led by Nur Misuari in 1996. He also ordered the resumption of peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) led by Salamat Hashim and

4116-399: The economic growth posted during his presidency was "artificial." They blamed him for the slowdown of the Philippine economy during the 1997 East Asian financial crisis . The sale of Petron to Aramco is specifically criticized as resulting to the loss of the government's effective leverage on domestic oil prices. Along with the deregulation of the entire oil industry, Petron's privatization

4200-606: The establishment of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1994 as the only multilateral security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region conducted at the government level; and the signing between the Philippine Government and the Moro National Liberation Front on September 2, 1996, of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement . In early 1995, the Philippines discovered a primitive Chinese military structure on Mischief Reef in

4284-571: The first company to do so in the Philippines. In May 1977, the MMTC operated a fleet of 609 buses, consisting of 100 Hino Ordinary units, 50 Volvo B57 units, 162 Fiat 331A units, and 147 Ford B-1617 units. The fleet also included 60 Mercedez-Benz buses and 10 Berliet buses of unspecified models. The Love Bus service at the time was served by 100 Hino buses of an unidentified model. The 1984 JUMSUT report estimated that there were 40 double-decker bus units, 370 Love Bus units, and 100 limited bus units in operation as of February of that year. The MMTC

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4368-420: The four core priorities of Philippine foreign policy namely: the enhancement of national security, promotion of economic diplomacy, protection of overseas Filipino workers and Filipino nationals abroad, and the projection of a good image of the country abroad. Ramos boosted foreign trade , investments and official development assistance to the Philippines through his state visits and summit meetings. In 1996,

4452-490: The implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) of former President Corazon Aquino in order to meet the ten-year time frame. However, there were constraints such as the need to firm up the database and geographic focus, generate funding support, strengthen inter-agency cooperation, and mobilize implementation partners, like the non-government organizations, local governments , and

4536-432: The incumbent which during that time was Ramos. On September 21, 1997, a church organized rally brought in an estimated half a million people to Rizal Park . Furthermore, on September 23, 1997, charter change advocates suffered a setback when the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Andres Narvasa , narrowly dismissed a petition filed by the People's Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action (PIRMA) that sought to amend

4620-576: The lessons of the Contemplación case, Ramos immediately ordered Ambassador to the UAE Roy Señeres to facilitate negotiations after learning the death penalty verdict of Sarah Balabagan in September 1995; Balabagan's sentence was lowered and she was released August 1996. After tensions cooled off, Ramos restored diplomatic relations with Singapore after meeting Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong during

4704-547: The military forces in the region strengthened. He ordered the Philippine Air Force to dispatch five F-5 fighters backed by four jet trainers and two helicopters, while the navy sent two additional ships. The People's Republic of China had claimed that the structures were shelters for fishermen but these small incidents could have triggered a war in the South China Sea . One of the downturns of Ramos' administration

4788-403: The national treasury, leaving 174 others with unremitted government shares, amounting to more than P50 billion. Dividends remitted were only one-tenth (1/10) of the total required by law according to the commission. In 2014, on "GOCC Dividend Day", the Philippine government received 32.31 billion Philippine pesos worth of dividends and other remittances from 50 GOCCs. Seven GOCCs submitted over

4872-419: The once-closed national economy, encourage private enterprise, invite more foreign and domestic investment, and reduce widespread corruption. Ramos was also known as the most-traveled Philippine president compared to his predecessors with numerous foreign trips abroad, generating about US$ 20 billion worth of foreign investments to the Philippines. To ensure a positive financial outlook on the Philippines, Ramos led

4956-553: The only year it generated a profit during its first ten years of operation. On March 20, 1985, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 1011, creating the Land Transportation Commission (LTC) as an attached agency of the MOTC. The order removed MMTC's exemption from regulation, placing it under the authority of the LTC. At some point in the 1990s, the Love Bus was discontinued due to significant losses incurred by MMTC. Following

5040-410: The operations of the two transport companies. On December 9, 1989, MMTC repossessed DMCI's buses, occupied its offices, and attempted to auction off 228 repossessed buses that it was leasing from MMTC, alleging that DMCI had defaulted on its amortization payments. DMCI responded by filing for a temporary restraining order against the public auction, which was granted on April 11, 1990. MMTC filed

5124-429: The people. Under Ramos' presidency, the country's Gross National Product averaged 5 percent annually. Ramos pushed for the deregulation of key industries and the liberalization of the economy ; he encouraged the privatization of public entities to include the modernization of public infrastructure through an expanded Build-Operate-Transfer law. This marked the beginning of the presence of Neoliberal ideology in

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5208-405: The plan, several industries critical to economic development were privatized or deregularized, such as electricity , telecommunications , banking , domestic shipping , airline , and oil . The taxation system was reformed, and external debt was brought to more manageable levels by debt restructuring and sensible fiscal management . By 1996, the country's GNP and GDP were growing at

5292-529: The program. To address this problem, Ramos signed R.A. No. 8532 to amend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) which further strengthened the CARP by extending the program to another ten years. Ramos signed this law on February 23, 1998 - a few months before the end of his term. Among the proposed changes in the constitution included a shift to a parliamentary system and the lifting of term limits of public officials. Ramos argued that

5376-722: The rank of Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs. Among the other significant events in foreign affairs during the Ramos years were: the adoption by ASEAN in 1992, upon Philippine initiative, of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea aimed at confidence-building and avoidance of conflict among claimant states; the establishment of the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area in 1994;

5460-407: The reliable supply of electricity, which was mostly provided by the government-owned Napocor . It had been caused by the age and condition of the existing power plants, as well as the long-term lack of continuing investment in the energy sector. During his State of the Nation address on July 27, 1992, he requested that the Congress enact a law that would create an Energy Department to plan and manage

5544-432: The resignation of Foreign Affairs Secretary Roberto Romulo and Labor Secretary Nieves Confesor from the cabinet. Ramos immediately recalled Philippine ambassador to Singapore Alicia Ramos and suspended diplomatic relations with Singapore . He created a special commission to look into the case and to try to rescue his sagging popularity. The commission was led by retired justice Emilio Gancayco . The Commission recommended

5628-402: The resignation of then Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) head David Corpin and 13 other government officials, including two labor attachés. As also recommended by the Gancayco Commission, Ramos facilitated the enactment of Republic Act 8042, better known as the Magna Carta for Overseas Workers or the Migrant Workers Act, which was signed into law on June 7, 1995. Learning from

5712-509: The same year, Ramos approved the deal. On November 29, 1996, then-Senate President Ernesto Maceda delivered a privilege speech assailing the deal as the "grandmother of all scams". A longstanding criticism of Ramos was whether his role in the ouster of President Joseph Estrada was motivated by his fear of being prosecuted in connection with the Centennial Expo and other scams. When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo granted Estrada executive clemency after having been found guilty of plunder by

5796-537: The sidelines of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations in New York City . Under Ramos' presidency, the Philippines became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade . The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995, under the Marrakech Agreement , replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which commenced in 1948. The organization deals with regulation of trade between participating countries; it provides

5880-457: The special Sandiganbayan court in September 2007, Ramos heavily criticized Arroyo's decision. Estrada's son, Senator Jinggoy Estrada , retaliated by asking Ramos to first "come clean" on the alleged multi-billion-peso anomalies involved in the PEA-AMARI, IPP and other deals negotiated during his term. Leftist groups have criticised Ramos' Neoliberal economic reforms such as privatization , deregulation and trade liberalization , claiming that

5964-438: The time; with the later unfavorable changes in the exchange rates and the business environment, some charge that these contracts put a large and undue amount of risk on the government and consumers. While campaigning for the presidency, Ramos declared his support for reinstating the death penalty. Capital punishment was abolished for all crimes in 1987, making the Philippines the first Asian country to do so. In 1996, Ramos signed

6048-406: The use of Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) schemes to spur development, where, with limited government financial capability to do such, private investors are invited to build certain government projects (i.e. tollways, power plants, railways, etc.), operate them for a set period of time, and then transfer ownership to the government. There was little literature or previous experience with such schemes at

6132-591: Was a four-door station wagon basic utility vehicle conceived as a derivative of the GM Harabas manufactured by General Motors as a result of the Progressive Car Manufacturing Program (PCMP) of the Marcos administration. Taxicab drivers were given a chance to own their vehicles through daily installments for a period of two years. Once the installments are paid in full, drivers are invited to join

6216-611: Was a major blow to the Ramos administration. The economy was hit by currency devaluation, with the Philippine peso falling to ₱41.78 per U.S. Dollar in July 1998 from ₱26.37 in June 1997. Growth fell to about -0.5% in 1998 from 5.2% in 1997, but recovered to 3.1% by 1999. It also resulted to the shutdown of some businesses, a decline in importation, a rise in unemployment rate and an unstable financial sector. Charges of alleged massive corruption or misuse of funds blemished Ramos' supposed pet project,

6300-411: Was already considered risky by investors due to previous coup attempts by military adventurists led by Gregorio Honasan , during the term of President Aquino; the almost daily brownouts lasting 4–12 hours also developed then. The perceived political instability and the reduced power supply severely limited investments and modernization in the country. During Ramos' term, the Philippines became a pioneer in

6384-539: Was also known for maintaining bus operations even during heavy rains or flood. During the curfew under the martial law period, the MetroCom would also direct the MMTC to deploy buses to rescue stranded commuters. In 1975, to address a shortage of taxis , the MTC ventured into taxi operations with an initial fleet of 50 Harabas Taksi taxicabs manufactured by the Francisco Motors Corporation . The Harabas Taksi

6468-592: Was between Metro Manila and Rizal . The first Love Bus route was launched between Escolta and the Makati CBD in 1976 and was its most profitable route. At some point, the Love Bus routes were complemented by Pag-Ibig Bus routes. By 1989, MMTC was only operating four Love Bus and Pag-Ibig Bus routes. The MMTC operated several types of buses, each with varying specifications. The ordinary and limited buses were 2.5 m (8.2 ft) wide, 3.3 m (11 ft) high, and 11.0 m (36.1 ft) long. The ordinary buses had

6552-557: Was chaired by the general manager or governor of Metro Manila , who also served as the MMTC chairman. The other board members included the Secretary of Transportation and Communications , who acted as Vice Chairman, the Secretary of National Defense, the Secretary of Industry , the Secretary of Finance , the Secretary of Public Highways , and one additional member appointed by the President of

6636-672: Was classified as program funds. In 2013, on "GOCC Dividend Day", the Philippine government received 28-billion Philippine pesos in dividends and other forms of remittances from the 2012 operations of 38 GOCCs. Eight GOCCs remitted 1 billion pesos each: Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA)(P1 billion pesos), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)(1.03-billion), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)(P1.54-billion), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) (P7.18-billion), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM)(P2-billion), Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA)(P2.30-billion), Development Bank of

6720-608: Was established for the said event; the National Centennial Commission, headed by former Vice President Salvador Laurel , presided all events around the country. One of the major projects of the commission was the Expo Pilipino , a grand showcase of the Philippines' growth as a nation for the last 100 years, located in the Clark Special Economic Zone (formerly Clark Air Base ) in Angeles City . Ramos

6804-479: Was his experience in handling migrant workers protection. On the eve of his 67th birthday on March 17, 1995, Ramos was on a foreign trip when overseas Filipino worker Flor Contemplación was hanged in Singapore . His last minute effort to negotiate with Singapore President Ong Teng Cheong and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong failed and he was greeted with protests after his return to Manila . The protests also caused

6888-455: Was subsequently filled by buses and jeepneys . Loose regulations, however, resulted in a fragmented public transportation system in Manila and its suburbs dominated by independent transport operators who competed against each another, resulting in inadequate services. During the martial law period under Ferdinand Marcos , efforts were made to address the problem, as Marcos issued Presidential Decree No. 492 on June 27, 1974, which established

6972-543: Was the first president under the 1987 constitution to be barred of seeking another term. His predecessor, Corazon Aquino , was still eligible to run for president since she took office under the 1973 Constitution. As his term was winding down, he pushed for constitutional amendments ; however, he did not succeed. Ramos supported his friend, then-Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. , for the 1998 presidential election ; however de Venecia lost to Ramos' vice president, Joseph Estrada . On June 30, 1998, Ramos accompanied his successor to

7056-455: Was then increased to 26 million shares through the issuance of Presidential Decree No. 1465 on June 11, 1978. Around this time, the MMTC reportedly had over 2,500 bus drivers and conductresses and 491 employees in its administration and maintenance departments. On July 23, 1979, Marcos issued Executive Order No. 546, creating the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and designating

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