[2] According to a statement from the family, Diaz gave the bulk of his pork barrel funds to his scholarship program which included the provision of tuition money and stipends to some 500,000 high school and college students not only in his district but in the entire province.
[3] He made his career in government service, starting out as deputy customs commissioner (1963–1964), head of the legal department of the Land Reform Commission (1964–1965), and was subsequently elected vice governor of Zambales (1967–1969), before winning the first of many congressional terms in 1969.
[2] He was married to Felmida V. Diaz with four children: Ramon Victor, Roderick Albert, Roberto Carlos and Rica Victoria, daughters-in-law Carla, Yveth, and Anna, son-in-law Ronald Arambulo and grandchildren Regina Isabel, Marianna Antonia, Bianca Alberta, Ricardo, Paquito, Rafael, Sabrina Victoria and Sidney Louise.
He died on August 3, 2011 (Wednesday) cause of multiple organ failure secondary to sepsis and pneumonia at St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City.
Teodoro Camat, who heads Diaz's office in Zambales’ 2nd congressional district, said the lawmaker died at 6:20 am.