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Former President Ferdinand Marcos appointed then Col. Jose Almonte as head of the Philippine Center for Advanced Studies of the University of the Philippines. This think-tank, many believed, served as the catalyst that led to the formation of Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) by younger AFP officers. During RAM’s infancy, its leaders allegedly approached Mr. Almonte to seek his counsel and to make him advisor to the group. He worked with Lt. Col. Victor Batac in formulating RAM’s long-term strategies, thus earning for him the title the “Godfather of RAM”.

After EDSA 1986, Almonte became the first officer to be promoted to the rank of general by then President Corazon Aquino. He became the head of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and afterwards the Director of Economic Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (EIIB), in Mrs. Aquino’s government.

Almonte was the National Security Advisor and Director General of the National Security Council during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos. For his work during the Ramos administration, he was conferred the country’s highest award, the Ancient Order of Sikatuna, for outstanding government service.

Today, Almonte is involved in consultancy work in the fields of leadership, nation-building and peace in Southeast Asia.

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