Santiago: The Hope We Lost, The Liberator We Never Had
Senator Miriam Palma Defensor Santiago is truly a fierce and feisty senator when it comes to political issues, grafts and corruption within the internal government.
Wits and brains were what fueled the “Iron Lady of Asia”. Not only a Senator, but a doctor too, Doctor-Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago was one of the greatest intellectual and academic leader the country has ever seen. She earned for herself the entitlement of Magna Cum Laude for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws at University of the Philippines and after that, she went outside the country and earned another for herself the graduate degrees of Masters of Laws, and Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of Michigan in the states. Also, she finished the academic requirements at the Maryhill School of Theology for the degree Master of Arts in Religious Studies.
Way back in UP in her days, the perfect grade is 1.0 flat. In her last undergraduate semester, then Dr. Santiago earned the near-perfect average grade of 1.1 & she finished her 4-year course with just 3 and a half years. She finished her master’s degree in a year and her doctorate in just six months. She also broke the stereotype of UP’s publication paper: Philippine Collegian, when she became its Editor-in-Chief breaking the streak of the organization of having a male one.
The senator was a brave one, even international delegates she induced them with fear. She almost died in alleged assassination which involved a car crashing to her vehicle; she almost died in the life-threatening accident. She suffered major injuries and was air-lifted from Tarlac to Metropolitan Hospital in Manila. Senator Santiago branded herself as a “Knowledge Vulture” she studied an encyclopedia and promised to herself that she’ll read it from beginning to end and finished it. She even has her own library containing almost a million books, most of it, she already finished/read. The late senator was also a swimming champion. During her youth back in Iloilo, she was considered as a “child prodigy” she excelled in sport such as swimming. Way back, she was a Spelling bee champion and was appointed as an Editor-in-Chief which she held until her high-school graduation.
Mrs. Santiago wherever you put her, will excel in any of the three branches of the Government. At the Judicial branch, she has been presiding at the Regional Trial Court at Quezon City. She has been the immigration commissioner at the executive branch. While in the legislative branch, she has been a senator for three terms. She was chosen as laurete of the Magsaysay Award for her Government Service, internationally it is the Asian counterpart of Nobel Price. She was quoted “for bold and moral leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency.” She was also named as one of “The 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.” by The Australian magazine.
She have brought honor for our country; she’s the first Asian from a then developing country to be elected in the United Nations as judge of the International Criminal Court. Thus, she puts the Philippines on the global map in the 21st century. Unfortunately, grave illness forced her to cease the privilege of being a judge at the ICC. For two years duration, she suffered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In June 2014, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, stage 4. But together with her humors and pick-up lines she fought, and her cancer reverted. Surely, even the cancer cells are afraid of the senator.
Surprisingly, the Senator when it comes to her love-life, never have crushes on boys, she treated her boy-friends as “brothers”, and she also didn’t like putting make up because of her flawless skin. She used to play basketball with her husband back in their youth. Mrs. Miriam Santiago always wanted to be a writer, but chose to be a lawyer because she have many relatives that are criminals. Her father warned her when she was about to take Literature Course in her college, her father warned her that she’ll just end up being a professor. In an interview with Philippine Star, she said that her father questioned her if she really wanted it, and her father told her that she should be a lawyer because they have many relative that are criminals. The senator’s faith was also shook because of the death of his son Alexander Robert Santiago due to an apparent suicide in 2003 that made an incredible impact on the life of the senator.
Senator Miriam was a loss for the country many people said this. Even co-senators and her former students that are now senators of the country admitted that Senator Miriam was a great loss for the government. She will be remembered as a ‘pillar of the Philippine Government’
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