Pahrump accomplished another first Monday -- a visit by a former head of state as ex-Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos came out to Mountain Falls golf course to play 18 holes and appear at a luncheon afterwards.

Fely Quitevis, co-owner of Precious Properties, who coordinated Ramos' visit to Pahrump in between functions in Las Vegas, called him "the best president in The Philippines."

Ramos, who governed the country from June 1992 until June 1998, was relaxed and informal during his Pahrump visit. But he took time to promote his project, the Ramos Peace and Development Project, and promote Philippine tourism.

"I invite you to please, go and visit. You will not need an interpreter. We speak English, well, not as perfectly as you here, but I think we speak better English than those from Texas," Ramos said jokingly.

In fact, Ramos said the Philippines has a 95 percent literacy rate and 85 percent of the people speak English, a statement that would please some Pahrump residents.

The government is developing four retirement communities in the Philippines, including sites at the former Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base, where he said the U.S. left $10 billion worth of good infrastructure, including two airports and an international seaport.

The foundation is pursing peace and development by promoting projects in places where there is none, as Ramos described it. That includes projects in remote parts of the island nation.

His appearance on Memorial Day wasn't lost on the former leader who had seen American troops on his soil during World War II.

"We do the same in the Philippines, meaning commune with our dearly departed, especially the soldiers, and we do it on the ninth of April which marks the fall of Bataan, and in Philippine-American history that is a very precious and highly cherished moment because it marked our partnership as allies in the defense of freedom and democracy."

Ramos graduated from West Point Military in 1950 and later received a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois. He served in Korea and Vietnam. Ramos pointed to his security escort, Nye County Commission Chairman Gary Hollis, as a fellow Vietnam veteran.

Ramos served under former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos until he realized the regime was about to collapse.

He sided with Ninoy Aquino during the People's Power Revolution in 1986 that overthrew the long-time dictator. Though Ramos was instrumental in the People's Power revolt that overthrew President Joseph Estrada and replaced him with Glorida Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001, Ramos said he doesn't support more peaceful overthrows of the president.

"We don't want to do that again. We must depend on our democratic institutions," Ramos said.

While immigration is another hot topic in America, Ramos applauded the Philippine immigrants who send back $12 billion in aid to their families, 8 percent of the country's gross domestic product.

"The aspect of family unification has been there for the last 20 years," Ramos said of current U.S. immigration policy. But he lamented the fact some Filipino-Americans with green cards have had to wait for over 20 years for their families to emigrate to the U.S.

In particular, Ramos singled out the fate of some Filipino World War II veterans, including some who fought alongside Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who were promised they would be allowed to emigrate to the U.S. after the war.

"They were young people in the Bataan Death March in 1942," Ramos said.

The former president said it's also his hope that Filipino-Americans will return to their home country.

Pahrump Town Board Chairwoman Laurayne Murray presented Ramos with a key to the town. Quitevis gave him a new driver to use on the golf course.

Sheriff Tony DeMeo gave him a key chain and remarked, "In six short years he brought peace and prosperity to his country during a time of unrest."

Hollis expressed gratitude Ramos took the time to visit Pahrump.

Ramos didn't divulge his score on the course, but admitted, "We did lose a lot of balls in the water and in the desert."

The health conscious Ramos had a cigar in his mouth but said he doesn't inhale any more. Ramos said it was a cigar made in the Philippines. Differentiating his tastes from those of the other Fidel across the world in Cuba, Ramos, founder of the anti-Communist Philippine Army Special Forces quipped, "These are not Communist cigars."