Cayetano honors Miriam, wants to rename QC roads after late senator

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Thursday hailed the late Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago as an exemplary Filipina whose life, achievements, and ideals should be emulated, as he and two other senators proposed this week that two major roads in Quezon City be renamed in her honor.

Cayetano along with Senators Sonny Angara and Lito Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 1888 on February 15, 2023, renaming the Agham and BIR Roads in Quezon City as Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago Avenue in honor of the late lawmaker.

In their explanatory note, the senators said Defensor-Santiago "dedicated her life to serving the public, displaying a remarkable record of achievement in all three branches of government."

"She showcased exceptional leadership, love for her country, and a commitment to excellence through outstanding contributions as a respected legal luminary," the note read.

Defensor-Santiago had an illustrious and colorful five-decade career in public service as a three-term senator, as well as stints heading the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Bureau of Immigration.

In 2011, she was elected as judge of the International Criminal Court for a nine-year term, making her the first Filipino and first Southeast Asian from a developing state to hold such a seat.

For her achievements, the senator was conferred numerous awards, including the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service, as well as the Quezon Service Cross which is only given to a very select group of Filipino citizens who have added to the prestige of the country or have contributed a lasting benefit to the people through their service.

Defensor-Santiago, often dubbed the Iron Lady of Asia by the press and the public due to her feisty demeanor and vehement opposition to corruption in government, ran unsuccessfully for the presidency thrice, losing her last presidential bid in 2016 to the eventual president, Rodrigo Duterte.

The senator died on September 29, 2016 due to complications from lung cancer.

Cayetano, gustong baguhin ang pangalan ng kalsada sa QC bilang pag-alala kay Senador Miriam

Binigyang-pugay ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano ang pumanaw na Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago bilang isang huwarang Pilipino na karapat-dapat gayahin dahil sa kanyang mga nagawa noong siya ay nabubuhay at sa kanyang matapang na paninindigan.

Ito ay kasabay ng panukala niya at ng dalawa pang senador na ipangalan kay Defensor-Santiago ang dalawang magkarugtong na kalsada sa Quezon City.

Isinumite nina Cayetano, Senador Sonny Angara, at Senador Lito Lapid ang Senate Bill No. 1888 noong February 15, 2023 na panukalang baguhin ang pangalan ng Agham Road at BIR Road sa Quezon City bilang Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago Avenue sa ngalan ng pumanaw na mambabatas.

Sa kanilang explanatory note, sinabi ng mga senador na inalay ni Defensor-Santiago ang kanyang buhay sa paglilingkod sa bayan na makikita sa mga achievements sa tatlong sangay ng gobyerno kung saan siya nagsilbi.

"She showcased exceptional leadership, love for her country, and a commitment to excellence through outstanding contributions as a respected legal luminary," wika nila sa explanatory note.

Naging makulay at katangi-tangi ang limang-dekadang career ni Defensor-Santiago sa serbisyo publiko bilang three-term senator at bilang pinuno ng Department of Agrarian Reform at Bureau of Immigration.

Noong 2011, nahalal siya bilang huwes ng International Criminal Court na may nine-year term. Siya ang kauna-unahang Pilipino at pinakaunang Southeast Asian mula sa isang developing state na maluklok sa posisyong ito.

Para sa kanyang mga naabot, ginawaran ang senador ng iba't ibang award, kasama na ang prestihiyosong Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service at ang Quezon Service Cross na binibigay lamang sa piling grupo ng mga indibidwal na nakapagdala ng karangalan sa bansa o nakapagbigay ng pangmatagalang benepisyo sa sambayanang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng kanilang serbisyo.

Si Defensor-Santiago, na binansagan ng media at ng publiko bilang Iron Lady of Asia dahil sa kanyang matapang na ugali at mariing pagtutol sa katiwalian sa gobyerno, ay tatlong beses na tumakbo sa pagkapangulo. Huli siyang tumakbo bilang presidente noong 2016, kung saan si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang nanalo.

Pumanaw si Defensor-Santiago noong September 29, 2016 dahil sa mga komplikasyong dulot ng lung cancer.