She was born on September 30, 1929, in Lingayen, Pangasinan and grew up in Asingan town along with her brother, former President Fidel V. Ramos.

Her father, Narciso Ramos (1900–1986), was a lawyer, crusading journalist and five-term legislator at the House of Representatives, who eventually became Secretary of Foreign Affairs.

[2] As such, Narciso Ramos was the Philippine signatory to the ASEAN declaration forged in Bangkok in 1967 and was one of the founder of the Liberal Party.

Her mother, Angela Valdez-Ramos (1905–1978), was an educator, suffragette and daughter of the prominent Valdez clan of Batac, Ilocos Norte, making her a second degree cousin of Ferdinand Marcos, the 10th President of the Philippines.

After passing the Philippine Foreign Service Officer (FSO) Examination, Ramos-Shahani held various high positions such as Ambassador to Australia from August 1978 to December 1980; UN Assistant Secretary-General for Social and Humanitarian Affairs from 1981 to 1986; and Secretary-General of the World Conference on the UN Decade of Women in Nairobi, Kenya in 1985.

[5] Ramos-Shahani eventually spoke up against the Marcos dictatorship, speaking in support of opposition candidate Corazon Aquino.

[16] On March 27, 2017, her remains were cremated and were interred at their family mausoleum at Manila Memorial Park – Sucat in Parañaque.