THERE are much more iconic descriptions of FVR, the 12th president. From the Philippines 2000 to the tiger economy, among others. Those visuals can be grouped into history (EDSA jump), progress (Kaya natin to! and the thumbs up) and cheerleader (Steady Eddie), but there are three visuals that those in the bureaucracy will hold dear: Tabako, CSW and those red scribbles on margins that one gets early in the morning. He was EDsa92, owning up and claiming EDSA I.

Clearly he brought his military background to the office and was known for technocracy and was a liberal democrat. After all, he was a graduate of the US Military Academy in West Point in 1950 and attended the University of Illinois for his MS in Civil Engineering in 1951. Those years in the United States raised him to what he became as chief of the Integrated National Police and later chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. His was an experience that was shaped by the Korean and Vietnam wars.