Miriam Defensor Santiago's Blog, page 3

MIRIAM BARES THREE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRESIDENCY

(Transcript of the speech delivered by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago at the University of Cebu, 26 February 2016)

My simple message to the students of the University of Cebu is that it is now time for the youth to be empowered. Before, traditional politicians would tell young people what to do, whom to vote for, what to accept, and decide their choices because of the money they have been given. But not anymore. Now is the time to claim our destiny as the young people of this country. We have the future in the palm of our hands.

I am hoping we would not put up with old trapos who would buy the presidency. Akala nila dahil marami silang pera, pwede nang bilhin ang pagkapangulo. Ganun ba ka-gago ang mga taga-University of Cebu? I say never, never be at the beck and call of these politicians—mga politiko na nag-iimbento ng kasinungalingan sa mga kalaban nila. Mag-aral kaya sila, mag-homework kaya sila. Nakikita ko sa Senado, wala na silang ginawa kundi magbasa ng tinuro sa kanila ng mga assistant nila. Kung ganoon, ang assistant na lang nila ang dapat tumakbo. Isa pa, sila ba ay honor student?

May mga presidente na ‘di man lang nagtapos ng college, samantalang sa batas natin, ang bawat aplikante–halimbawa ang pulis–kailangan may college degree. Kaya kung graduate kayo, pwede na kayong maging pulis. Pero kung marami kayong pera, pwede na kayo mag-presidente.

At saan galing ang pera nila? Ninakaw sa pork barrel. Halimbawa ang pork barrel ninyo P500 million, kalahati lang noon ang mapupunta sa taumbayan. ‘Yan ang problema sa ating bansa: Hindi binibigyan ng halaga ang karunungan ng tao, kundi ang kayamanan niya. Tapos ang yayabang pa. Hindi man lang nga kayang mag-English eh! Tumigil ka nga.

We need three requirements for a person to become a leader and to enlighten himself with the light of God. That person should have academic excellence. Maski sino na lang na gunggong pwede mag-presidente? Tapos kapag may pera sila, manunuhol sila para siraan ang may abilidad na nagpuyat at naghirap sa college. Wala silang academic excellence. Hindi ba tinitingala natin ang mga number one sa class, lalo na kung hindi sila nangopya? Kaya ang una nating kailangan ay academic excellence—mataas ang grado nila sa eskwelahan. Kasi kung hindi mataas ang inabot niya, saan siya kukuha ng dunong niya? Napaka-kumplikado maging presidente ng Pilipinas. Hindi madali.

Number two is professional excellence. Kung natapos ka na sa University of Cebu, kailangan ngayon mag-practice ka na kung ano man ang kurso mo, halimbawa, doktor, abogado, arkitekto, engineer, o ano pa man. Kailangan mayroon kang mga premyo o award na binigay sa iyo ng mga kapwa mo dahil kinikilala ka na masipag ka at magaling kang magtrabaho.

So the second requirement is professional excellence. One requirement is academic excellence, the second is professional excellence. The third, and the most important of all, this country, must be filled from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao of people who bear the characteristics of their faith. We don’t know what God is. But we know that God is the source of all human life and all human excellence. Kaya dapat ang ating mga lideres, mayroong moralidad. ‘Wag iyong masyadong maraming querida. Tama na iyong isa, sobra na nga iyon eh. Ang iba, ang lalakas ng loob, tatakbo pa! Bakit? Sila lang naman ang naaakit sa mga hitsura nila.

Hindi ako pinanganak para maging isang korap na opisyal. Hindi ako pinanganak para maging mayaman, para magnakaw ng pera ng ibang tao. Pinanganak ako para gawin ang katungkulan ko sa ilalim ng aking panginoon. Ang katungkulan ko ay ang tumulong sa aking kapwa. Kung ano man ang naabot kong academic excellence, ‘yan ay dahil sa palagi akong malapit sa Diyos. Ayaw na ayaw ko at natatakot akong gumawa ng mali dahil malalayo ako sa Diyos.

Kaya ang sinasabi ko sainyo ngayon: Do not lose faith in our future. Do not think that we shall forever be a corrupt nation. Never forget that we are sent here for a purpose. If your purpose is to help your country become an honest, upright society of men and women, never hesitate to help other human beings. Never think that you can progress by pulling other people down. Kasi iyon ang nakikita natin sa kampanya, sisiraan nila ang iba dahil sila walang maipakita. Ang iba diyan, wala man lang karanasan pero ang lakas ng loob na mag-presenta na maging presidente. Napakamahirap maging presidente.

Remember that the campaign is not a search for personal glory. That is far from the mind of a true Christian. What we want is to do the will of God. What we want is to do our best in school, to practice what we learned in college in our profession so that we can help others. And finally, what we want to do is to make the Philippines a great nation–not because we are rich, although it is true that we are rich in natural resources and even richer in human resources.

Ladies and gentlemen of the University of Cebu, all that you need is to believe in the Filipino. Have faith in yourself; have faith in the Filipino. Look into your heart for the answer lies there to the question, “How can you make the country a truly Christian and charitable nation?” Kaya palaging palakasin ang loob, palagi kayong mag-aral, sa araw at gabi. Ang mga estudyante ng University of Cebu, nag-aaral, hindi nangongopya.

Napakahirap kapag nasa gobyerno ka ngayon dahil napapaligiran ka ng mga corrupt–mga congressman sa House of Representatives o mga senador sa Senado. Napakahirap dahil marami silang perang ninakaw. Gagamitin nila iyan para bumili ng mga pupuri at pupuri sa kanila at ng maninira sa mga walang pera at hindi kayang magbayad ng black propagandists. It is extremely difficult to fight as a poor person, as someone coming from an ordinary middle-class family, to excel in our profession and in our society. But remember what the poet said:

It matters not how strait the gate

How charged with punishments the scroll

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

Thank you.

MIRIAM: WE HAVE FAILED THE LUMADS

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago lamented that the alleged attack on a refugee site in Davao City early Wednesday showed that government has failed to protect indigenous peoples driven out of their homes by violence in Mindanao.

“I condemn in the strongest terms the alleged arson of the Lumad evacuation center in Davao City, and I urge authorities to investigate the incident promptly,” the senator said.

Reports say two unidentified men were seen setting fire to dormitories used by Lumad evacuees at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines Haran compound at around 2 a.m. The fire razed the building and hurt five people.

“The indigenous peoples at the UCCP Haran compound were driven out of their homes by violence. The Lumads are now again rendered homeless. They deserved state protection, but were instead harassed by state agents, who once attempted to forcibly evict them,” Santiago said.

She was referring to an incident in June 2015, when the Davao police and other armed personnel reportedly attempted to forcibly evict the Lumad evacuees from the church compound and back to their homes.

Santiago has earlier filed a resolution calling for a Senate inquiry on the June 2015 incident. She has also sought probes on the alleged militarization of indigenous communities and the reported closure of schools for Lumad children.

“I urge the next Congress to fast-track the passage of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons Act and to include in the bill specific provisions on the rights of indigenous peoples,” Santiago said.

“We have failed the Lumads. Let us not renege further on our obligation,” she added.

MIRIAM: THE YOUTH FORCE AWAKENS

Transcript of the speech delivered by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago during the launch of Youth for Miriam, 14 February 2016, at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City

Thank you very much for sharing St. Valentine’s with me and Mr. Bongbong Marcos. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Miriam Defensor Santiago, and I’m running for president! Now, will you say yes to me?

First of all, let me congratulate the Youth for Miriam program for successfully launching this big rally all on your own efforts without any cooperation from myself. Thank you very much for your initiative. I hereby appoint all the members of the Youth for Miriam Movement secretary or undersecretary of a Cabinet post.

Sige, pick-up lines na.

Valentine’s Day ngayon. Sabihin niyo sa crush niyong kaklase,

“Crush, pahingi naman ako ng papel.

Papel sa buhay mo.”

Kapag wala kayong maisagot sa exam,

Ilagay niyo “magmahal.”

Dahil kailanman, hindi mali ang magmahal.

Kung wala naman kayong pambili ng flowers and chocolates sa Valentine’s Day,

Bigyan niyo ng kiss.

Kung ayaw, sabihin niyo, “edi ibalik mo!”

Ngayong eleksyon, sabihin mo sa crush mo,

“Ngayon pa lang naman ang eleksyon, ‘di ba? Bakit ikaw, matagal nang tumatakbo sa utak ko?”

Ballot box ka ba?

Handa akong maging poll watcher,

Masiguro lang na safe ka.

Wala akong pakialam kung sinong iboboto mo.

Basta sana sa akin ang boto ng mga magulang mo.

Ngayon, marami-rami rin ang kalaban ko sa pagka-presidente. Meron akong mga lines dedicated to each one of them. Hindi ko na babanggitin ang mga pangalan.

May mapa ka ba?

Hindi ko kasi makita ang tuwid na daan

Papunta sa puso mo.

Pwede ka bang makatabi sa exam?

Kasi kapag katabi kita, perfect ako.

Inii-SMALL ka ba nila?

That’s okay, inii-BIG naman kita.

Saiyo na ang Philhealth, SSS, at GSIS mo

Basta sa akin ang PAG-IBIG mo.

Para sa kandidato natin sa pagka-bise presidente na si Bongbong Marcos:

Posporo ka ba?

Kasi posporo rin ako;

Match tayo.

Ang plataporma ko bilang kandidato ay basta lahat ng nangungurakot ng pera sa gobyerno, ikulong silang lahat. Mamili sila kung economy class, business class, o first class, basta lahat sila kulong! Ang una kong mungkahi ay kumuha sila ng IQ test, siguradong babagsak ang karamihan diyan.

But what is important is that you and I continue to believe in the future of our country. Karamihan nagsasabi na ganyan talaga ‘yan, noon pa ganyan ‘yan, hanggang ngayon ganoon pa rin. Hindi. My answer is no! No, no, no! At kung merong nagsasabotahe ng kampanya ko, not playing fair but resorting to black propaganda, ‘yang taong ‘yan although hindi niya aaminin, hinahamon ko, suntukan kami!

Ito ang iba ko pang mungkahi para masugpo ang korapsyon sa gobyerno. Una, follow the money. Bantayan mo, kung may pera ‘yan, malamang may corruption ‘yan. Number 2, count the school supplies. ‘Yung mga pinamimigay na kunwari ay dapat libre sa ating Constitution, grade school, high school, and even college, bilangin mo kasi malaking pera ‘yan, pinagdi-distribute sa ating mga state universities. Citizen report cards, gumawa kayo ng ganoong sistema nang mabigyan niyo ng report ang bawat politician. Explore tech solutions. Use comics and cartoons. May mga kandidatong mukha nila ang mga comics na eh. Theatre and drama, board games, sports, youth groups, integrity camps, zero bribes, protests, petitions; maraming magagawa ang ating kabataan. Election pledges, crowdsourcing. There is no end to the infinite creativity of the mind of young people. Look at yourselves, you are the hope of the country. Wala nang ibang aasahan pa kung hindi ang ating mga kabataan. Kaya ngayon nalang, sabihin ninyo, “the force awakens!”

Kaya sugod lang tayo nang sugod. Ang mga mahihina ang IQ, hihinto rin ‘yan. But remember, you are the Filipino people, not the people who are in Malacanang, not the people who are in the Senate, and not certainly the Congresswomen and the Congressmen in the House of Representatives. It is the Filipino voter who stands for the Filipino people. We are the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines, not of anybody’s territorial republic. And this year, 2016, for the first time in generations, we will have the opportunity to re-change our country. It is not merely time for reform, it is not merely time for change – it is a time for conscience in government.

Itong ating mga pulitiko, lalo na yung mga nagnanakaw ng pork barrel, ‘pag nagsalita akala mo alam na alam nila ang sinasabi nila. Mga ulyanin. At tsaka hindi ko mainitindihan bakit dalawa ang nakulong, ang isa nakulong na, pinalabas pa. Anong gumagana diyan?

So you and I must join forces and show them the strength of the true Filipino people. Ladies and gentlemen, in your hands lies the destiny of the Filipino people. Seize this opportunity. We can change the system. We can change ourselves. If you want to change the world, we must start with ourselves. Change the Philippines and begin with yourself. What we want is to have the Filipinos share a sense of common destiny. ‘Yan ang wala sa atin eh, kanya-kanya tayo. Dapat together palagi tayo, at sino pa ang mangunguna? ‘Yang mga kabataan. Susunod kami sa inyo kung kinakailangan. Kung minsan naman, ‘yung aming karanasan magagamit para sa kabutihan ng ating gobyerno. Alam niyo wala kaming pera dahil I do not belong to an established political party with established political contributors. But this is the best way, and then if I win, I will owe no favor to any big businessman.

So, I don’t want to expound my program of government, masyadong mahaba, kung hindi it is time for young people to take over, and it is time for young people to be trained today, not tomorrow, now. If I become president, at least half of the cabinet will come from the youth.

Kaya ang ating gobyerno pinapatakbo ng mga corrupt. My goodness, nakakahiya, ang dami nilang kerida! Pagkatapos, nagtatapang-tapangan. Pag hinamon mo ng debate sa Plaza Miranda, ayaw. Talaga naman!

Basta sugod lang tayo. We want to seize our own destinies. We have to accept the challenge of the future, and that is why each one of us must continue to be great. This is a very difficult and sometimes intimidating challenge, but as the poet said, ‘It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Ladies and gentlemen, to all the Filipinos, as we try and achieve what the poem has advised us to do, be the captain of our souls, and the masters of our fate. Thank you very much.

MIRIAM ONLY CHOICE FOR STUDENT VOTERS

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago was elated that students seem to consider her the only choice in the May elections, as seen in the results of a new election survey at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) where almost all student respondents chose her as president.

Santiago, who won in all campus polls conducted since the filing of certificates of candidacy in October, bagged 86 percent of votes in polls by the UPLB University Pulse Survey Research Program from November to December 2015. Results were released last week.

She was followed by Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas, who got 6 percent of votes, and Sen. Grace Poe, 5 percent. The remaining 3 percent of respondents said they have yet to choose a president for the May 9 elections.

“When a candidate leads a survey, it means that she is doing something right in her campaign. But when a candidate is almost unrivaled in a survey, that means voters see something wrong in the other choices,” Santiago said.

This is not the first time Santiago topped a presidential poll in UPLB. In November, she was chosen by 66 percent of respondents in mock polls by political science students.

The senator also led campus surveys at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, where she got 64 percent of votes; University of Santo Tomas, 66 percent; Ateneo de Manila, 37 percent; U.P. Manila, 59 percent; and University of Northern Philippines, 36 percent.

“Campus surveys are the pulse of the youth vote, a decisive factor in the presidential elections. If the UPLB survey is any indication, an overwhelming majority of youth voters will shade the circle next to my name in the ballot,” Santiago said.

The Commission on Elections estimates that some 20 million or 37 percent of the voters in the May polls will be 18 to 35 years old, giving the candidate wielding the youth vote numbers enough to win the elections, comparable to the 17 million votes for President Aquino in 2010.

Santiago said her scores in pre-election surveys can only go up nearing Election Day. She is the only presidential candidate who has yet to release campaign ads, in deference to the Comelec intention of limiting the campaign from February 9 to May 7.

The senator has earlier assailed her rivals in the presidential race for spending a total of P2.3 billion in ads before the start of the campaign period. She called on her colleagues in the Senate to fast-track the passage of her anti-premature campaigning bill.

MIRIAM TO JOIN BILL GATES IN ‘RULE OF LAW’ COUNCIL

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has gained another nod from the global community as she was invited to join Microsoft founder Bill Gates and other luminaries in an elite council of advisers for Rome-based International Development Law Organization (IDLO).

As part of the IDLO International Advisory Council, Santiago will “provide critical, forward-looking guidance on the issues IDLO tackles in order to make a culture of justice real for all the people of the world,” IDLO Director-General Irene Khan said in a letter to the senator.

The IDLO is an intergovernmental organization devoted to promoting the rule of law. Khan said that its advisory council is composed of “individuals of international reputation for extraordinary leadership in addressing rule of law, justice, and development issues.”

Besides Gates, council members include former Ireland President Mary Robinson; former Senegal President Abdou Diouf; Abdel-Latif Al-Hamad, chairman of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development; Albie Sachs, former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa; and former U.S. ambassador Thomas Pickering.

“I am honored yet humbled to receive the invitation from IDLO. It challenges me to place my lifetime career as a lawyer and legislator in a larger frame of service for the pursuit of justice and international development,” Santiago said.

Before being invited to the IDLO Council, Santiago became the first Filipino and the first Asian from a developing country to be elected judge of the International Criminal Court, the independent tribunal that prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

She waived her post in 2013 due to chronic fatigue syndrome, which was later diagnosed as lung cancer, stage four. In October, Santiago announced that her cancer has been arrested, and that she is running for president in the 2016 polls.

“If elected in May, and with the consent of IDLO, I expect to serve both as president of the Philippines and member of the International Advisory Council,” the senator said.

Santiago was presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City when she first catapulted into popularity, receiving numerous awards for her no-postponement policy and for unburdening the court of backlogs.

She was then appointed Commissioner of Immigration and Deportation, for which she won the Asian Nobel Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service. Santiago also became Secretary of Agrarian Reform. In 1992, she ran for president and never conceded defeat.

At the Senate, Santiago is known as the resident constitutional law and international law expert. She has Doctor of Juridical Science and Master of Laws degrees from the University of Michigan, and a law degree, cum laude, from the University of the Philippines.

MIRIAM: BOTH EDCA, VFA SHOULD BE INVALID

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Sunday renewed her call for the Philippine government to scrap its Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the U.S., as she lamented that the Supreme Court failed to rise from its problematic 2009 ruling on the VFA by also upholding as constitutional the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Santiago, chair of the Senate committee on foreign relations, stood by Senate Resolution No. 105, which she and 14 other senators adopted in November. The resolution said that without Senate concurrence, any treaty or international agreement, including the EDCA, is invalid.

“When the Supreme Court held in the 2009 case of Nicolas v. Romulo that the VFA is constitutional, no less than then Chief Justice Puno dissented, telling his colleagues, ‘This slur on our sovereignty cannot continue, especially if we are the ones perpetuating it.’ Those words resonate today, with the Supreme Court decision on the EDCA,” the senator said.

Voting 10-4-1, Supreme Court has ruled that the EDCA needs no Senate concurrence because it is merely an implementing agreement of the VFA, which the Court deems a valid and effective treaty.

Santiago said the theory that the EDCA finds its validity on the VFA is flawed, as both agreements fall under the category of treaties prohibited by the Constitution, Article 18, Section 25, which states that “foreign military bases, troops, or facilities shall not be allowed in the Philippines except under a treaty duly concurred in by the Senate…. and recognized as a treaty by the other contracting State.”

Three requirements for validity

“The Constitution is clear that if an agreement pertains to foreign military bases, troops, or facilities, it must be (1) in the form of a treaty, (2) concurred in by the Senate, and (3) recognized as a treaty by the other contracting state,” the senator said.

Santiago said the Supreme Court disregarded this test in Nicolas, where it said the VFA is a valid treaty despite failing in the third requirement—that the U.S. should recognize the VFA as a treaty as well—and again in its ruling that upholds EDCA despite failing the two other requirements.

“The EDCA is invalid for two reasons: The executive claims that it is not a treaty but merely an executive agreement, and it was not submitted to the Senate for concurrence. The flaw of the VFA, meanwhile, lies in the fact that it is not considered a treaty by the U.S.,” she added.

Santiago explained that for a treaty to be binding to the U.S., it must have the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate. The VFA, she said, was submitted to the U.S. Senate not for concurrence, but only in compliance with the Case-Zablocki Act, an American law that requires the U.S. State Department to transmit to the U.S. Senate agreements not recognized as treaties.

“Therefore, the EDCA cannot derive its validity from the VFA, because the VFA is also infirm,” she said, recalling her assertion in a 2009 resolution adopted by the Senate that the Philippine government should renegotiate the VFA or, if the U.S. refuses, move to abrogate the military deal.

The senator further argued that the concept of “implementing treaty” does not exist in the Constitution, which also states, in Article 7, Section 21, that “no treaty or international agreement shall be valid and effective unless concurred in by at least two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate.”

“Assuming, for the sake of argument, that the VFA is a valid treaty and that the EDCA is its implementing agreement, the Constitution does not say that Senate concurrence for a ‘mother treaty’ extends to the children,” Santiago said.

“Rather, the Constitution states, on the one hand, that any treaty—meaning all treaties—must be concurred in by the Senate, and, on the other, that no treaty on foreign bases, troops, or facilities, is valid sans Senate concurrence,” she added.

Open defiance of the Constitution

Santiago also questioned the Supreme Court’s premise that the president has broad powers in foreign relations, including the authority to enter into executive agreements such as the EDCA.

“It is true that the president has broad powers in foreign relations, but it excludes what is prohibited by the Constitution. The Constitution, Article 18, Section 25 prohibits an executive agreement on foreign bases, troops, or facilities,” the senator said.

She added that Malacañang could have cured the EDCA of constitutional infirmity by considering it a treaty and submitting it to the Senate for concurrence.

“But instead of abiding by the Constitution he has sworn to protect, the president openly defied it by striking a deal concerning foreign bases, troops, or facilities through an executive agreement,” Santiago said.

The senator also decried how the Supreme Court decision on the EDCA diminishes the treaty-making power of the Senate, a constitutional mandate the legislative chamber asserted in a resolution submitted to the Court.

“The Supreme Court contradicts the power of the Senate. The Constitution clearly states that without Senate concurrence, no treaty can become law. Now, the Court is saying that the executive may call agreements by another name in order to bypass the Senate,” she said.

Abrogate VFA

While noting that the Senate has no choice but to abide by the Supreme Court decision, Santiago, who is also chair of the legislative oversight committee on the VFA, urged her colleagues to reiterate the position they took in 2009 that the Philippine government should renegotiate or abrogate the VFA.

“Philippine sovereignty, as well as the rights and dignity of its citizens suffered immensely during the 17 years of operation of the VFA. Let us assert our sovereignty and call for the total abrogation of this agreement,” the senator said.

She explained that the VFA, and now the EDCA, defeat the purpose of military modernization by again making the Philippines dependent on America. “It may be argued that because of the VFA, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has not felt the need to modernize sufficiently,” Santiago added.

Responding to concerns that the Philippines needs U.S. military presence to address external threats, particularly amid Chinese expansionism in the West Philippines Sea, Santiago emphasized that the VFA does not imply that the U.S. will come to the aid of the Philippines in case of a firefight with China.

She recalled that in in 2014, when U.S. President Obama visited Japan, he categorically declared that the U.S. will defend the Japanese claim over the Senkaku islands, but, by contrast, said that it “will not have a position in regard to the disputed territories in the South China Sea.”

MIRIAM: AD SPLURGE RED FLAG FOR CORRUPTION

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, the leading advocate for an anti-premature campaigning law, urged voters to treat as red flags for corruption the hundreds of billions presidential candidates are spending for ads even before the campaign period.

“The question we must ask is this: How will these politicians recover the scandalous amounts they spend for their campaign? The simple answer is that they will steal from public funds, or will at least be tempted to do so. An alternative would be to give favors to rich contributors, to the detriment of public interest,” Santiago said.

The senator was responding to reports that four of her rivals in the 2016 presidential elections spent a total of P2.3 billion for television ads from January to December 2015. Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas was the top spender, shelling out P774 million, followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, P695 million; Sen. Grace Poe, P694 million, and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, P129 million.

Santiago said almost all candidates have already spent beyond the expected limit for campaign expenses. By Commission on Elections (Comelec) standards, every presidential candidate may spend only P10 per voter, or a total of P545 million for the projected 54.5 million voters in 2016.

“A president’s salary is only P120,000 a month. He or she may thus expect to earn only P8.64 million for the six years that he or she is in office. These big spenders therefore cannot say that they will earn their money back if elected,” she said.

“Of course they can say they are not spending their own money, and that their campaign is fuelled by contributions. Who are their contributors? What kind of favors will they ask from the president whose candidacy they bankrolled?” Santiago asked.

The senator explained that while the Supreme Court ruling on the 2009 case of Peñera v. Comelec enables politicians to campaign outside the identified period, excessive ad spending contradicts the constitutional principle that “a public office is a public trust.”

“The provision of the Constitution is our guide: They are campaigning to occupy an office, which is a public trust. It might not express a strict legality but a matter of moral conduct on the part of the public officials,” Santiago said.

Santiago, the only presidential candidate who has yet to release political ads, said she will call for a Senate probe on the ad splurge, which she said adds a sense of urgency for her colleagues to finally consider her proposed Anti-Premature Campaigning Act and the related CIRPO Act.

Under the Anti-Premature Campaigning Act (Senate Bill No. 2445), a person would be considered a candidate as soon as he or she files a certificate of candidacy. The bill seeks to prohibit candidates from conducting election-related activities before the campaign period.

Santiago’s CIRPO Act (Senate Bill No. 185), meanwhile, seeks to require politicians who intend to run for public office to file certificates of intention to run for public office (CIRPO), allowing the Comelec to monitor their election-related activities and expenses even before they file certificates of candidacy.

The two bills intend to reject the Peñera doctrine, which, according to Santiago, allows candidates to work around campaign spending limits imposed by the Comelec during the campaign period.

“By sitting on my bills against premature campaigning, my colleagues in the Senate have missed an opportunity to address a problem before it manifested itself. Now that the problem is staring them in the face, maybe they can be convinced to act,” Santiago said.

The Virtues of Student Leadership and Patriotism

(Transcript of the speech delivered by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago at the Youth Forum on Student Leadership and Natialism at the Rizal Technological University on 14 December 2015)

What is leadership?

Ano ba ang ibig-sabihin ng leadership, lalo na sa May 2016, mamimili tayo ng leader? Saan kaya ang leader ng Pilipinas ngayon, baka nandirito sa Rizal Technological University. Marami dyan ang pinupuri nila ang sarili nila pero wala naman silang nagawa pa, gusto nang ihalal sila bilang presidente ng Pilipinas. Iyon ba ang natutunan ninyo dito sa university na ito: Na kahit wala ka pang napakita sa taumbayan, ang lakas ng loob mong mamilit na ikaw dapat ang mag-presidente? At bakit ang isang kandidato, ang dami-dami niyang bukirin at mga garden sa kung saan-saang malayong lugar. Meron pang isang garden na kamukha ng Kew Garden sa London, sa Europe? Wala tayong ganoon. Meron ding isa na ‘pag tinignan lang niya, namamatay kaagad ang tao. As we advance toward the 2016 elections, we must understand what we are doing. In 2016, we are not engaged in entertainment for the Filipino public. We are choosing the next leader of the Philippines who will represent the Filipino leader in the forefront of international issues. Pwede bang sabihin natin na ‘yun ang presidente natin na hindi nakakahiya?

Leadership has been described as “a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”

Kaya kung leader ka, may impluwensya ka, and you should have an influence for the better, not for the worst. Dapat ipakita mo sa taumbayan kung ano ang makakayanan ng Pilipino. Hindi lang puro tayo yabang nang yabang na wala namang nakamtan. Hindi lang na ang yayaman nila, ‘yun pala ninakaw lang nila sa PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund). Nakita naman ninyo yung mga imbestigasyon sa Senado, wala silang maisagot kung anong ginawa nila sa pera. Kami, noong last Christmas, lahat ng senador, binigyan ng 2 million, pero ako at dalawa pa, hindi binigyan. Bakit kaya ganoon na lang sila kagalit sa akin? Iyong iba 2 million, ako wala. At ang iba pa, noong impeachment, iyon palang mga senador binigyan ng tig-50 million. Fifty! Ako naman wala din. May problema na siguro talaga ako.

Young people should not only participate in the community, but strive to become leaders in their community. Taga-Rizal Technological kayo. Dapat pagkatapos niyo, leader na kayo ng inyong barangay o ng inyong kabayanan. Leadership is not about personality. Hindi dahil sa matangkad siya, gwapo siya, o charming siya. Leadership is about behavior— ano ang nagawa mo? Leaders are not born; it takes practice to develop the qualities of a leader.

Good student leaders share the following characteristics:

1. Integrity. Integrity is the foundation of leadership, and it is especially important for students trying to establish themselves as lifetime leaders. Anong ibig-sabihin ng integrity? Trustworthy, honest, consistent – yan ang ibig-sabihin ng leader. Kaya unang-una, ang leader hindi nango-ngopya. ‘Wag kang mangopya sa katabi mo ‘pag exam time na because that is a characteristic of leadership. Ganon din ang presidente. Karamihan sa kasaysayan sa ating politika, ang presidente, kaunti lang ang ninakaw. Ang malaking nakaw ay ‘yung mga nakapaligid sa kanya na kinukupkop naman niya.

2. Compassion for others. Ang leader, dinadamdam niya ang kahirapan ng kanyang bansa; hindi siya nagpapaubaya, hindi siya nag-o-orate lamang, kundi gumagawa ng paraan para matulungan ang mga mahihirap.

3. Initiative. Student leaders should be self-starters. Kayo mismo ang mag-umpisa ng anong dapat gagawin.

4. Vision. Student leaders need to have a vision and a sense of purpose to accomplish things.

The importance of participating in national issues

You are never too young to make a difference and to participate in the political affairs of our country. To borrow a quotation from Mahatma Ghandi, be the change you want to see in the world. You want change in the Philippines, be the first to change this country. Palagi nalang turo tayo nang turo. Itong mga kandidato natin, mapa-congressman, mapa-mayor, mapa-senador, good government daw ang plataporma, pero kapag nahalal na sila, dahil binili lang nila ang mga boto nila, nakaw na naman sila nang nakaw para mabili na naman nila ang kasunod na halalan. Iyan ang dahilan kung bakit hindi nagbabago ang Pilipinas, kasi naupabaya natin ang leksyon na dapat ang boto, hindi binebenta. Kung may inaalok na pera, edi tanggapin mo. Libre, eh. Pero ‘wag mong iboto iyong taong iyon kung ganoon pala ang palakad niya. At dapat tayo, mga nationalistic, dapat ang ating mga produkto, mga made in the Philippines. Sa ibang mga bansa, kapag pumunta ka, lahat ng ginagamit ng pamilya nila, made sa country nila. They are very proud to say, if they are living in France, for example, this car is made in France, or [if they are living in Japan], that this ball pen is made in Japan.

Eh tayo wala tayong sense of national history, hindi tayo nahihiya na magnakaw nang magnakaw. Hindi nahihiya iyong mga kasamahan ko sa Senado na tumayo-tayo doon sa mga napaka-mahal nilang Amerikana, mali naman ang mga Ingles nila. Kaya tayo madaling nasakop noon ng mga foreign conquerors dahil ganyan ang mga Pilipino. Sa hangad nating makipagkaibigan, madali tayong nadaig ng mga dayuhan. You will be inheriting this country along with its problems. Before these problems can get any worse, be concerned, do something about them.

We have no sense of national history. Nationalism is perhaps one of the most misunderstood, abused and adulterated concepts in modern history. Nationalism takes many forms and shapes. And it doesn’t necessarily have to take an expansionist, fascist character.

Patriotism and nationalism are similar but distinct phenomena. One can be extremely nationalist and always extoll the virtues of his national culture, but at the same time act like an irresponsible citizen and not directly contribute to the safety and welfare of the larger community. One person may be willing to sacrifice his life defending a state in which he resides in as a citizen, but not necessarily feel too strong about the supposed glory and beauty of its national heritage and culture.

The lessons for the Philippines are clear. As a relatively small nation, it was precisely the lack of nationalism that allowed foreign predators to conveniently conquer and exploit the country. The tragic demise of General Luna—the genius of Filipino resistance against American colonizers, who went the extra mile to build a modern national army out of a myriad of squabbling ethnic groups in the country—is a poignant reminder of the deleterious impact of tribal divisions and narrow loyalties.

We are yet to develop a fully inclusive form of nationalism that allows all Filipinos—regardless of ethnicity, religion and class—to feel a profound sense of belongingness to the idea and legal-territorial reality that is the Philippines.

Perhaps, more than nationalism (emotional attachment to our culture, food and traditions), we also need more patriotism. The West Philippine Sea disputes, pitting a valiant southeast maritime nation against the Chinese juggernaut, could serve as a catalyst for a new sense of unity among ourselves, regardless of our ethnicity, religion and social class.

Our basic educational curriculum should further emphasize our shared values and history as Filipinos. As citizens, we have a responsibility to ensure that we can, in whichever form possible, contribute to the protection of our national welfare and territorial integrity.

We can fulfill such duty either by responsibly voting for patriotic leaders, who have our national interest in mind, and voting out those who have betrayed our national interest, or/and directly participating in the policy-making realm, whether as elected officials, career bureaucrats, advisers, among others. Outside the institutions of governance, we can exhibit our nationalism and patriotism through establishing civil society groups that foster greater national consciousness on the West Philippine Sea disputes, emphasizing the necessity for national unity in the face of common dangers. More than ever, we have a unique opportunity to shelve aside our differences –whether ideological or interest-based–in favor of a common cause. More than ever, we need nationalism and patriotism. Our country needs it. We need it.

We have to, however, be careful. We have to ensure that our quest for national unity doesn’t come at the expense of our admirable legacy of cosmopolitanism. We have to guard against xenophobia and ethnically-based conceptions of nationalism. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Muslim or of Chinese descent. What matters is that our nationalism is faithful to the fundamental principles of our Constitution, which upholds secularism, pluralism, and democracy. Let us show to the world that we are unified around a courageous and valiant vision of a Filipino nation.

I have only one message for the Filipino youth. You are too brilliant to be lectured to at this hour of the noon time. What I want to say is this: We can achieve the best, the most excellent form of government only if we can have a sense of shared destiny. Dapat ramdam natin na lahat tayo pare-pareho; magkakasama tayo. That is why I came here to see you personally for myself; I came to see the faces of hope of our country.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Rizal Technological University, look into the future, for the future of our country lies in your hands. Whatever might happen to our country is to be decided today. Tell the older people in your community and in your household that elections are not an exercise in entertainment or in humor. Elections are an exercise of the will—the mental will—to improve ourselves and to prove to the world that the Philippines is one of the proudest people on earth, and we can prove it.

Thank you very much.

MIRIAM TOPS UST POLL, BECOMES ‘PRESIDENT OF CAMPUSES’

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has cemented her position as the president of choice in Philippine campuses, as she won by an overwhelming majority a survey at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the third student poll she has won since certificates of candidacy were filed.

Two out of three (66 percent) of the 1,366 respondents in the survey conducted by the UST’s official student publication, The Varsitarian, said that they would vote for Santiago if elections were held on the day they were polled, from October 26 to December 10.

No other candidate won two-digit scores in the survey. Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas got 8 percent; Sen. Grace Poe, 5 percent; and Vice President Jejomar Binay, 3 percent. Some 17 percent of respondents said they were undecided.

“Clearly, students know that the presidency is no place for the weak-minded, the inexperienced, or the corrupt. It appears that they give weight to my criteria for leaders: academic excellence, professional achievement, and sincerity,” Santiago said.

The UST survey is the third campus poll conducted and published after candidates have filed their certificates of candidacy. The two others were from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Santiago led all three polls.

The senator, the only presidential candidate who has yet to release campaign ads, has earlier said that she will prioritize campus speeches over traditional campaign sorties, banking on youth support to match the money and machinery of her opponents.

On Monday, Santiago delivered a speech about nationalism and student leadership at a jam-packed covered court of the Rizal Technological University in Pasig. “Leadership is not about personality…. Leadership is about behavior— ano ang nagawa mo?” the senator said.

“Tell the older people in your community and in your household that elections are not an exercise in entertainment or in humor. Elections are an exercise of the will—the mental will—to improve ourselves,” she told students further, to loud applause.

Santiago also constantly emphasizes social media’s growing influence in the electoral process, especially as an estimated 40 million Filipinos use the Internet. The senator has the largest social media following among the presidential bets—some 3.3 million on Facebook and 2.2 million on Twitter.

“Lahat kami iisa-isahin talaga kasi mayroon talagang nagkakapera bawat eleksyon sa pamamagitan ng paninira, o dirty operations…. Maaasahan natin na lahat kami sisiraan, kaya importante na sa kampanyang ito, gamitin natin ang social media para makita natin ang katotohanan,” she said.

MIRIAM TOPS UPLB MOCK POLLS

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago welcomed her landslide win in mock polls at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) as proof that the youth, who comprise some 37 percent of voters in the 2016 elections, look beyond traditional politics and early campaigning.

Santiago was the runaway winner in a November 26 mock elections in UPLB with 1,507 students or 65.75 percent of the 2,292 respondents choosing her as president. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was a far second, with 18.32 percent of votes.

The three other prominent candidates had voter shares of less than five percent: Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas (4.97 percent), Sen. Grace Poe (4.36 percent), and Vice President Jejomar Binay (2.01 percent). Other candidates were lumped at 3.49 percent, while 1.09 percent of respondents abstained from voting.

“The candidate with the greatest youth support has greater chances of winning, not only because of the sheer size of the youth vote, but also because of their persuasive power. People listen to the young, because it is their future at stake,” Santiago said.

Some 54 million Filipinos are expected to vote next year, 20 million of them aged 18 to 35. That means that even only 75 percent of youth votes can give a candidate 15 million, close to the number that made Benigno Aquino III president in 2010.

Santiago said that her victory in the mock elections, despite the fact that she has yet to release campaign advertisements, validates the results of a Facebook-based survey where she also emerged as winner, with 48.36 percent of respondents favoring her.

“In the 1992 elections, the youth not only voted for me, they campaigned for me on a volunteer basis. This new generation seems ready to do the same through social media,” said the senator, who has some 3.2 million followers on Facebook and 2.1 million followers on Twitter.

From the Facebook page of University of the Philippines Los Banos political science instructor Miguel Enrico Ayson

Only UPLB students who are qualified to vote in the 2016 elections were allowed to participate in the mock polls, through booths in the campus. The respondents were also asked to write their student numbers to prevent double voting.

Similar to the voting process in actual elections, students who voted in the mock polls were given sample ballots and were asked to shade the circle before the names of their preferred candidate, UPLB political science instructor Miguel Enrico Ayson said.

This is not the first mock polls Santiago won in UPLB. She was also the landslide winner, with 57.44 percent of the total 1,170 votes cast in a May 2015 polls conducted by a class of social psychology students.

Santiago was followed in that survey by Duterte (7.01 percent), Poe (5.56 percent), Sen. Chiz Escudero and former Sen. Dick Gordon (4.44 percent each), Vice President Jejomar Binay (3.5 percent), and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (2.31 percent).

Santiago also topped a survey on the official Facebook fan page of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, with 64 percent of the total 135,622 votes cast from October 16, the deadline of filing of certificates of candidacy, to October 25.