QUEZON City, Philippines (March 8) – Let’s get to know more about the presidential candidates for the 2016 elections.
She’s got the pick-up lines, the “witty”-cisms, and the masungit-but-charismatic appeal.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’s announcement of her run for the presidency is as spontaneous as ever, during her October 2015 book signing. Her name is regarded as formidable by her co-runners, she’s got the majority of youth’s support.
According to her, she wants to end her career in the government as president. This is the second time that Santiago will run for presidency. She first ran in the 1992 presidential elections, but was controversially defeated by less than a million votes against Fidel V. Ramos.
It was all in the past, and the senator is now making her comeback to the race for the highest position in the government.
Santiago was born in Iloilo City on June 15, 1945 – her parents a judge and a dean. She is the eldest of seven children.
As a child, she already excelled in all areas of her studies. She graduated valedictorian in grade school. During her high school days, she proved her prodigious skill not only in her studies but even in extracurricular activities. She emerged as champion of a provincial swimming competition and Spelling Bee. As a freshman, she made the top of written examinations and was appointed editor-in-chief of the school paper, holding the position until she graduated as valedictorian.
Despite being stricken with illness for three months, in 1965, Santiago graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science as magna cum laude from University of the Philippines Visayas.
Miriam flew to Manila to proceed to University of Philippines to take up law. Again, she made an image worthy of super girl. She became the first female editor-in-chief of The Philippine Collegian which she held for four years and was appointed twice as ROTC muse.
She graduated as cum laude from UP DIliman College of Law. She flew to US and earned Master of Laws and Doctor of Juridical Science at the University of Michigan in just a period of one and a half years. She didn’t get tired of studying and in fact, studied relentlessly at several universities after UMich, including Oxford and Harvard law summer schools, Cambridge and The Hague Academy of International Law. She also earned a degree of Master of Religious Studies at the Maryhill School of Theology.
Senator Miriam is notable for having served in all three branches of the Philippine government—judicial, legislative and executive. From being special assistant to Secretary of Justice and now on her third term as a senator, it is a rollercoaster ride for the Iron Lady.
During her days as special assistant, she was one of the speechwriters of President Ferdinand Marcos. After her appearance at the justice department, Santiago served as Legal Officer of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees at Geneva, Switzerland. She became skilled at treaty negotiation and drafting, however, this was cut short due to her father being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
As a newcomer judge, Santiago was assigned at the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City by President Ferdinand Marcos—an exceptional feat since newcomers are assigned to provinces and she’s the youngest judge appointed to Metro Manila. It was during this time when she rallied for “no postponement policy” of cases, disposing the highest number of cases in her first year as RTC judge.
During the era of Corazon Aquino’s presidency, she became the Commissioner of Immigration and Deportation, and was awarded for her efforts in cleaning up one of the most corrupt agencies in Southeast Asia. In 1988, she was given the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service, citing her “bold and moral leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency.”
Santiago was promoted and became a member of the cabinet as secretary of the Secretary of Agrarian Reform. She was known for her move to stop the “conversion scandal of agrarian reform”, an anomaly which involves corrupt Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) officials selling conversion permits for bribes from landowners.
As a senator, she mostly served as chair of foreign relations committee and the constitutional amendments committee. Some of the laws she advocated are: Reproductive Health Act of 2012, Sin Tax Law, Climate Change Act of 2009, Renewable Energy Act of 2008, Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Magna Carta for Women, Cybercrime Act of 2012, and Archipelagic Baselines Act of 2009.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago is undeniably an expert in the field of law, so it’s no surprise if her platforms’ foundation is the law itself. Just like her victory against cancer, our country also hopes that one day, it would overcome terminal diseases it contracted for so many years now.
Here are some of the platforms and to-do/fix list of the one and only Miriam Defensor Santiago:
- Amend restrictive provisions in the 1987 Constitution
- Solution to heavy traffic
- Lower pollution
- Each of the 17 regions would have one major project
- Establish a one mixed-use government center in 17 regions
- An extensive battle on illegal drugs
- Building a modern urban transit system in Metro Manila to Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna
- Reformation of old tax system, making it fairer, adaptive, simpler to administer and in sync with ASEAN-5 competitors
- Review of all programs and projects of the government
- Keeping government deficits manageable by keeping it below three percent of GDP
- Invest in public infrastructure, agriculture and government institutions
- New railway system from Manila to Sorsogon
- Build a new, modern international airport
- Abolish red tape
- Reward system for well-performing local government units
- Solve corruption at Bureau of Customs
- Passage of Customs Administration Act and Freedom of Information bill
- Putting those who are guilty of graft and plunder to prison
- Support Supreme Court’s rulings on PDAF and DAP
- Investing in people in terms of education, health and food
- Restoration of meritocracy
Sources:
iPilipino-http://ipilipino.com/platforms-for-2016-elections-miriam-defensor-santiago/
Filipiknow- http://www.filipiknow.net/interesting-facts-about-miriam-defensor-santiago/
Wikipedia- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Defensor_Santiago#cite_note-38
Miriam Defensor Santiago’s website- http://miriam.com.ph/aboutmiriam.php
(written by Rex Felix Salvador, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Lovely Ann Cruz)