Miriam Defensor Santiago facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Palma, the birth surname or paternal family name is Defensor, and the marital name is Santiago.

Quick facts for kids The Honorable Miriam Defensor Santiago GCS QSC
Defensor Santiago in 2012

Senator of the Philippines
In office June 30, 2004 – June 30, 2016
In office June 30, 1995 – June 30, 2001
Judge of the International Criminal Court
In office December 12, 2012 – June 3, 2014
Nominated by	Philippines
Succeeded by	Raul Pangalangan
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office July 22, 2013 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Loren Legarda
Succeeded by	Alan Peter Cayetano
Secretary of Agrarian Reform
In office July 20, 1989 – January 4, 1990
President	Corazon Aquino
Preceded by	Philip Juico
Succeeded by	Florencio Abad

Personal details
Born	Miriam Palma Defensor (1945-06-15)June 15, 1945 Iloilo City, Philippine Commonwealth
Died	September 29, 2016(2016-09-29) (aged 71) Taguig, Philippines
Resting place	Loyola Memorial Park, Marikina
Political party	People's Reform Party
Spouse	Narciso Y. Santiago Jr. (m. 1970)
Children	Narciso D. Santiago III Alexander D. Santiago
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Visayas (BA) University of the Philippines Diliman (LL.B) University of Michigan (LL.M, SJD) Maryhill School of Theology (MA)
Signature

Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a very smart and brave Filipino leader. She was a scholar, lawyer, judge, and author. She worked in all three parts of the Philippine government: the courts, the executive branch (like the President's office), and the law-making branch (Congress).

Miriam Defensor Santiago was called one of "The 100 Most Powerful Women in the World" in 1997. She was a long-time Senator and was chosen as a judge for the International Criminal Court. She was also the only woman to receive the Philippines' highest national award, the Quezon Service Cross.

In 1988, she won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for her excellent government service. She was praised for her strong leadership in cleaning up government agencies. She later served as Secretary of Agrarian Reform. She ran for president in 1992 but faced a controversial defeat.

Defensor Santiago served three terms as a Philippine Senator. She was known for supporting new laws and fighting against corruption. In 2012, she became the first Filipina and first Asian from a developing country to be elected a judge of the International Criminal Court. She later left this job due to health reasons.

She ran for President again in 2016 but lost. She passed away on September 29, 2016. In 2018, she was given the prestigious Quezon Service Cross award after her death. This made her the first and only woman to receive this high honor. People knew her by many nicknames like "Iron Lady of Asia" and "Dragon Lady." She is remembered for her dedication to public service.

Early Life and Education

Miriam Palma Defensor was born in Iloilo City. Her father was a judge, and her mother was a college dean. She was the oldest of seven children. Miriam was a brilliant student. She was the top student (valedictorian) in grade school, high school, and college.

She finished high school in Iloilo Provincial High School. She was also the editor of the school newspaper. In 1965, she earned a degree in political science from the University of the Philippines Visayas. She graduated with high honors.

She then studied law at the University of the Philippines College of Law. She was a champion in many public speaking contests and debates. She became the first female editor of the student newspaper, The Philippine Collegian. She graduated with honors in law.

Miriam Defensor Santiago continued her studies in the United States. She earned two advanced law degrees from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She finished both degrees very quickly, in just one and a half years. She also taught political science and law at different universities. She studied at famous universities like Oxford and Cambridge.

Her Career in Public Service

Working in Justice and the UN

After her studies, Defensor Santiago worked as a special assistant for the Secretary of Justice for ten years. From 1979 to 1980, she worked for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. She was a Legal Officer for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. She learned a lot about making and discussing international agreements. She left this job to be with her father, who was sick.

A Young Judge

President Ferdinand Marcos appointed Defensor Santiago as a judge in Quezon City. She was the youngest judge appointed in Metro Manila. As a judge, she made sure cases were heard quickly. She scheduled fewer cases each day but made sure they were all finished. This helped clear up many old cases.

She became famous for a decision she made during martial law. At that time, protests were considered crimes. Students who protested faced serious punishment. Defensor Santiago ordered that these students could be released on bail. This was a brave decision against the government's rules at the time. She received awards for her excellent work as a judge.

Leading the Immigration Bureau

In 1988, President Corazon Aquino appointed Defensor Santiago to lead the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID). This agency was known for being very corrupt. Defensor Santiago called the Philippines "the fake passport capital of the world." She led raids against criminal groups. She filled the detention center with foreign criminals. She also helped protect legal foreign residents from unfair demands for money.

For her strong and honest leadership in cleaning up the government agency, she received the Magsaysay Award.

Secretary of Agrarian Reform

President Corazon Aquino then made Defensor Santiago the Secretary of Agrarian Reform. This department was in charge of a new law. This law took large farms and divided them among farmers. However, some landowners tried to avoid this law by changing their land's classification. This led to a "conversion scandal."

Defensor Santiago stopped this scandal. She also tried to make it easier for landowners to sell their land willingly. When asked if the President's family farm should be included, she said yes. Soon after, she left her position.

Running for President in 1992

Defensor Santiago decided to run for President in 1990. She formed her own political party, the People's Reform Party. During her campaign in 1991, she was seriously injured in a car crash. She believed it was an attempt to harm her. She had surgery and recovered quickly.

She was known as "The Iron Lady of Asia" because of her strong and clear way of speaking. She admired leaders like Marie Curie and Margaret Thatcher.

During the vote counting, Defensor Santiago was initially leading. But after some power outages, another candidate, Fidel Ramos, was declared the winner. Defensor Santiago believed there was widespread cheating. She filed a protest with the Supreme Court, but it was later dismissed. Many people believed she had won the election.

Serving as Senator

First Term (1995–2001)

Miriam Defensor Santiago was first elected as a senator in 1995. In 1997, she strongly opposed a move to allow the president to serve an unlimited number of terms. She went to court and won, helping to protect term limits for leaders. She ran for president again in 1998 but lost.

She was one of the few senators who opposed opening a certain envelope during the trial of then-President Joseph Estrada. She lost her re-election bid for the Senate in 2001.

Later Terms (2004–2016)

Defensor-Santiago in 2015 attends a wedding as a sponsor

Defensor Santiago was elected senator again in 2004 and 2010. During her time as senator, she led committees on foreign relations and constitutional changes. She spoke out against illegal gambling and illegal logging.

In 2011, she was chosen as a judge for the International Criminal Court (ICC). This court hears cases against leaders for serious crimes. She was the first Asian from a developing country to get this position. She resigned in 2014 after being diagnosed with lung cancer.

In 2012, she revealed that the Senate president was giving large cash gifts to senators using Senate funds. This led to a big scandal and calls to stop the "pork barrel" system, which allowed politicians to control large amounts of money. Her public hearings on this issue gained a lot of support.

She was also the first Filipino to be a commissioner for the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in 2016. She advised on international law.

Important Laws She Helped Create

Defensor Santiago was the main author of many important laws, including:

The Reproductive Health Act of 2012, which teaches about health and family planning.
The Sin Tax Law, which improved taxes and helped the country's economy.
The Climate Change Act of 2009, which made the country focus on fighting climate change.
The Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which encouraged using clean energy like solar and wind power. This helped the Philippines become a leader in wind energy in Southeast Asia.
The Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, which protected human rights.
The Magna Carta of Women, which protected women's rights.
The Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (Unifast) Act, which helped improve education.
The Cybercrime Act of 2012, which protected people from online crimes.
The Department of Information and Communication Technology Act, which created a department to improve internet and information sharing.
The Archipelagic Baselines Act of 2009, which helped define the country's sea borders.

2016 Presidential Campaign

Senators Defensor-Santiago and Bongbong Marcos in Batac City during the 2016 presidential campaign

In October 2015, Defensor Santiago announced she would run for president again. Her doctors said her cancer was stable. Senator Bongbong Marcos joined her as her running mate for vice president. Her campaign focused on young people and used social media a lot. She won many student polls in universities. Even though she lost the election, many people called her "the greatest president we never had." A youth group that supported her later became the Youth Reform Movement.

Later Life and Passing

Even after she retired, Defensor Santiago continued to support important bills from her home. These included a bill against political dynasties and a bill for freedom of information.

She was honored by the University of the Philippines in September 2016. She also received an award from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in November 2016.

Her Death

Wake of Miriam Defensor Santiago at the Cubao Cathedral.

Miriam Defensor Santiago passed away peacefully on September 29, 2016, at the age of 71. She was in the hospital due to lung cancer. Her last words, according to her husband, were, "I accept this. I do not want to do anything heroic." She was buried at Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina, next to her son Alexander, who died in 2003. Her hometown, Iloilo City, declared a day of mourning for her.

After her death, many groups pushed for her to receive the Quezon Service Cross. This is the highest honor in the Philippines. In December 2018, she was officially given the award after her death. This made her the sixth person and the first and only woman to receive this very special honor.

Her Views on Important Issues

National Policies

Federalism

Defensor Santiago did not support federalism for the Philippines. She worried that it would make it harder for ordinary people to choose their president. She believed it could lead to more corruption among politicians.

Changing the Constitution

She was in favor of changing the Constitution of the Philippines. She wanted to allow more foreign investments. She also believed that people in high government positions should be college graduates and pass a special government exam. She argued that if administrative assistants need to pass an exam, so should higher officials.

In 2011, she supported changing the government to a parliamentary system.

Against Political Dynasties

Defensor Santiago was a strong supporter of a law against political dynasties. This means she wanted to stop families from holding power in government for many generations. She pushed for this bill for over ten years.

South China Sea Dispute

She firmly believed that the South China Sea belongs to the Philippines. She said the country needed a stronger military and better ties with other nations in Southeast Asia. She was an expert in international law and helped the Philippines win its case against China in 2016. However, China still does not accept this ruling.

Mindanao Peace Process

Defensor Santiago was against a specific law called the Bangsamoro Basic Law. She felt it was against the Constitution because it would create a "sub-state." She wanted a version of the law that followed the Constitution more closely.

North Borneo Dispute

She suggested that an independent third party should help resolve the dispute over North Borneo. She believed this could help solve the issue peacefully, based on international law. She argued that the Philippines never gave up its claim to eastern Sabah.

Social Policies

Divorce

Defensor Santiago supported having a divorce law in the Philippines. She believed that if couples were very unhappy and wanted to harm each other, they should be allowed to separate legally. She said divorce should be allowed in cases of violence or when one person is living with someone else. She was the only presidential candidate in 2016 who openly supported divorce.

LGBT Rights

She brought up issues important to the LGBT community in the Senate. After a tragic event in Orlando, she said she hoped the LGBT community would no longer fear discrimination. She supported investigating cases of violence against transgender people. She also pushed for an anti-discrimination bill (SOGIE Equality Bill) to protect the rights of people with different gender identities. She was the first senator to propose this bill repeatedly since 2000.

Environment

Defensor Santiago was strongly against mining. She believed it made local communities poor because mining companies took most of the profits. She also said mining caused a lot of damage to the environment, like destroying rivers and farmlands. She was considered the "greenest" candidate in 2016. She wrote the Climate Change Law and the Renewable Energies Law.

Internet and Transportation

She wanted to create a Department of Information to make internet faster in the Philippines. She also supported a "Magna Carta for Philippine Internet Freedom" to protect online rights and fight cybercrimes. For transportation, she wanted new railway systems and a modern airport.

Awards and Recognitions

Miriam Defensor Santiago received many awards for her work:

Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service (1988)
TOYM Award for Law (1985)
TOWNS Award for Law (1986)
Philippine Judges' Hall of Fame (2015)
Most Outstanding Alumna in Law, University of the Philippines (1988)
Gold Vision Triangle Award for government service (1988)
Republic Anniversary Award for law enforcement (1988)
Golden Jubilee Achievement Award for public service (1990)
Celebrity Mother Award (1991)
Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit from Spain (2007)
Distinguished Icon of Legal Excellence and Public Service Award (2016)
PUP Online Personality of the Year 2016
Quezon Service Cross (2018, awarded after her death)

Her Books

Defensor Santiago wrote at least 30 books, mostly about law and social sciences. One of her main projects was the Code Annotated Series, which explained Philippine laws and court decisions. She continued to work on these books even when she was sick.

Her doctoral paper from the University of Michigan was published as a book called Political Offences in International Law. She also wrote two books about her own life: Inventing Myself and Cutting Edge: The Politics of Reform in the Philippines. The second book was even praised by former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

In 2014, she published a popular joke book called Stupid is Forever. It was a collection of jokes and witty lines she used in her speeches. A second book, Stupid is Forevermore, came out a year later. Stupid is Forever was a bestseller in 2014, selling over 110,000 copies in just one month.

Her Personal Life

Miriam Defensor Santiago grew up in a family where both her parents were highly educated. She was the oldest of seven children.

She was married to Narciso "Jun" Santiago Jr. They had two sons, Narciso III and Alexander. Sadly, Alexander passed away in 2003. They also adopted four children: Megan, Mallory, Mackenzie, and Morven. Miriam and her husband renewed their wedding vows on their 40th anniversary in 2011. She was also a mentor to actress Heart Evangelista.

Miriam Defensor Santiago's life story was shown in TV dramas. In 2003, the show Maalaala Mo Kaya featured her life. In 2016, the show Wagas told the story of Miriam and her husband, with Heart Evangelista playing Miriam.