Ex-President Fidel V. Ramos laid to rest

Former President Fidel V. Ramos was laid to rest at the Libingan ng mga Bayani before noon on Tuesday.

Ramos, the country's 12th president, was accorded state funeral with full military honors.

An ecumenical service was celebrated for Ramos prior to the state funeral ceremonies.

The entourage left the Heritage Park at 10:15 a.m. it reached the gate of the Libingan at 10:31 a.m.

The urn containing the former leader's ashes arrived at the Presidential Section Gravesite past 11 a.m. It was carried by a member of the Ramos family.

A military chaplain held the final benediction.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. attended Ramos' funeral. He was seen beside the former First Lady Amelita Ramos at the gravesite.

Newly-installed Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente Bacarro handed over the Philippine flag used in the funeral to the President, which the Chief Executive handed gave to the former First Lady.

Ramos' loved ones and government officials offered white roses to the former President.

During the funeral procession held under an overcast sky, rose petals were dropped from a Philippine Air Force chopper.

Family adjustments

In her message after Ramos was laid to rest, the former First Lady expressed gratitude and recalled the adjustments their family had to make due to the late President's colorful stint in the military.

"Alam ninyo, mahirap ang buhay sa military pero kinaya namin. Tumulong si President Ramos, kayang-kaya niya. At he was able to raise five daughters, eight grandsons and five granddaughters," she said.

(You know, life in the military was not easy, but we survived. President Ramos helped and he was able to handle it. He was able to raise five daughters, eight grandsons and five granddaughters.)

According to the late President's family, Ramos himself had made an ocular inspection at the Libingan ng mga Bayani to determine the spot where he would be laid to rest.

Ramos' gravesite was decorated with flowers and other plants from Ming's Garden, which is under the supervision of the former First Lady.

The songs played after the folding of the funeral flag, which included "Alerta Filipinas," "Maalaala Mo Kaya," "How Great Thou Art," and "The Lord's Prayer," were part of Ramos' wishes.

Ramos passed away on July 31.Born on March 18, 1928, in Lingayen, Pangasinan to diplomat and lawmaker Narciso Ramos and educator Angela Valdez, he graduated with a military engineering degree from the US Military Academy at West Point.

Ramos was also a veteran who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. —KBK/RSJ, GMA News