Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita: The Little President

Being the new little President at Malacañang Palace, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita does not find himself in strange territory, having served five decades in both government and military service.

Ermita turned 69 years old last July 13 and, a few weeks later, was appointed to his new post, which is also known as the "primus inter pares" or "the first among equals" as head of President Arroyo’s new Cabinet.

Even before it became official, rumors were rife that Ermita, then Secretary of National defense, would replace Alberto Romulo as Executive Secretary. (Romulo now heads the Department of Foreign Affairs.) After all, Ermita was a key player in Arroyo’s reelection effort, one of the pillars of the administration party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), the political machinery that carried President Arroyo to victory in the May 10 elections. Ermita used to be the provincial and regional chairman of the Lakas party in his home province of Batangas and Region IV, respectively.

Aside from the defense portfolio, Ermita was head of the anti-terrorism task force which scored a succession of big arrests of suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) extremists in dismantled terrorist cells in Metro Manila and Mindanao.

His first Cabinet assignment when the Arroyo administration took over the reins of government was as Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

"I would like to think that I contributed to getting the peace process back on track when Arroyo first became president. That was the first program she announced–that we would bring back the peace that was stopped during the time of Erap, who declared all-out war (against all rebel groups)," Ermita says, adding, "The attainment of peace...is very, very important in our national life."

Ermita recalls with amusement his first flag-raising ceremony at the Mabini Hall at the Palace compound last Aug. 31. He wanted to give a very nice first impression as Executive Secretary.

"I was thinking of what to tell you so that you will remember me on the day that I speak to you for the first time. And as it turns out, my first act is a circular saying that all government agencies may not have to go to work because of the weather," Ermita told Palace officials and employees as tropical storm Marce battered the metropolis.

His second edict was a difficult one. "The next circular that I issued which the President approved, is Administrative Order 103–thegovernment’s austerity measures," he laughs.

The stresses of the office have taken its toll on past occupants. Renato de Villa, Ermita’s classmate at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1957, served as President Arroyo’s Executive Secretary when she took over the government in January 2001. He, however, had to leave his office at the Palace in April 2001 to undergo heart by-pass surgery.

President Arroyo then named Alberto Romulo, who was then Finance Secretary, to the post. Unfortunately, Romulo himself also had to undergo heart by-pass surgery the following April.

Despite this, Ermita isn’t worried. He is quick to point out that he’s as "healthy as a bull"–with the help and support of his wife Elvira Ramos.

"My entire family closes ranks behind me. My wife especially knows how difficult the job is and she always reminds me ‘Papa, remember, hindi ka na bata,’ meaning, she wants me to slow down," Ermita shares.

"She is very, very supportive of me. She sees to it that I do not sleep too late. I should be in bed by 10:30 p.m. And when I wake up at 5 in the morning, she encourages me to sleep until 6 a.m.," he says. "She also reminds me to exercise constantly; which means jogging and golf."

Ermita plays golf at least once a week and jogs twice a week. His blood sugar is the only thing that bears watching.

"I sweat a lot, and my wife sees to it that I eat the right food," Ermita says, and adds that he has long given up smoking and is only social drinking. "Not even coffee. I’m drinking hot water only." Before sleeping, he drinks three to four cups of hot water which, he says, is good for digestion.

"And I take a lot of vitamins–A, B, C, D, E, F, G!" he laughs.

Although Ermita already considers himself a "senior citizen", this grandfather of eight shares the secret of his good health: he follows the simple rule that "everything must be done in moderation".

His retirement from the military in 1988 did not mean retirement from public service. He was named Undersecretary of Defense, a post he held until 1992, when he sought–and won–the congressional seat for his district in Batangas.

"I continued in government service by being a politician. I was a congressman for nine years, and I savored it so much because I was able to serve my people in Batangas," Ermita says.

"Quite frankly, if there is anything that gives me satisfaction it is that I am still relevant, especially because any result of peace will redound to the betterment of the Philippines," he points out.

Ask him about his days at the Philippine Military Acedemy (PMA) and one thing he will tell you is that there were only three top awards given out each year during commencement exercises–the Presidential Saber for the class valedictorian; the Defense Saber for the class salutatorian; and the Athletics Saber.

"I received the Athletics Saber," Ermita announces with a hearty laugh. He was an all around athlete, from boxer to basketball player.

"I was the star basketball player when I was still a cadet and I was the captain of the PMA team," Ermita relates. For four straight years, he shares, the PMA "core squad was always the second placer in the Baguio Athletic League. Every year for four years, we were always No. 2; in other words, we were always in the championship play-off but we never became champions."

When he graduated from the PMA at age 21, Ermita was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the AFP. He served a two year-stint in the anti-Huk campaign in the jungles of the Sierra Madre in Quezon province from 1957-1959.

Ermita also fondly recalls that he and President Fidel Ramos were among the first Filipino soliders sent to Vietnam in 1966 as the Philippine Civil Action Group to Vietnam (PHILCAG).

"All those who went with my group at the Philcag–oh my golly!–they were star-studded...all became Generals," he proudly cites.

Ermita admits that he is "not battle scarred". He is better known for his psy-war operations which he mastered when he took up a psychological officers’ course at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 1970-71. He underwent numeorus other advance training courses both here and in the U.S.

Ermita considers the Presidential Golden Heart Award as the most cherished achievement of his career in government service.

This was awarded to him by President Ramos after the GRP-MNLF peace agreement was signed by former ambassador Manuel Yan and MNLF chairman Nur Misuari in September 1996.

"I value that award very much," Ermita says. "That’s a very extraordinary award and it was given because of my role in bringing Misuari to the negotiating table and assisting ambassador Yan as vice chairman of the GRP panel in the negotiations."

Ermita says he appreciated the fact that President Ramos took note of what he had been doing in the field of peace talks with the MNLF since this was started in 1976. As a young military officer, he was among the few Filipinos who flew to Tripoli, Libya to negotiate with no less than Libyan strongman Moammar Khadaffy. The Libyan leader was Misuari’s principal backer in his secessionist war in Mindanao.

He also received the AFP Gold Cross Award, but he explains, "The Gold Cross is normally given in combat when you are a Lieutenant or a Captain or a Sargeant. I got it when I was already a two-star General."

This was bestowed on him for his able leadership in defending the AFP General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo against military rebels led by former Lt. Col. Gregorio Honasan during the Aug. 28, 1987 failed coup attempt against the Aquino administration.

"I was the head of the group that defended GHQ. They (Honasan’s rebel troops) were not able to enter and all day long, we had exchanges of gunfire," Ermita reminisced. "When they couldn’t get in, they burned the GHQ."

He capped his military career with a Presidential Legion of Honor, Degree of Commander, for his distinguished service as AFP vice chief of staff and concurrently as AFP deputy chief of staff for the period ending March 1988.

The "Little President" who prides himself on being a peacemaker even while he was in the military, Ermita believes he can make a difference in the success of the peace process with all rebel groups, which is one of the 10-point program that President Arroyo has set out to achieve in the six years of her term.

"Whatever experiences I have gathered before, I will just try to apply it as much as I can to do the best in this particular job," Ermita vows.

Despite the much talked about "snake pit" at the Palace, Ermita makes sure he stays as close as possible to where President Arroyo holds her office inside the Palace. Ermita shuttles between the Guesthouse at the Palace where he does his paper work and his office at Room 234 at Mabini Hall where he meets with visitors in the morning.

Being a former military man, Ermita’s style as Executive Secretary hews closely with his expertise in psy-ops–he keeps his friends close and his enemies even closer.