Sen. Miriam Promises To End Corruption In PH If Elected President
Presidential candidate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago promised to end corruption if ever she becomes the next President of the Philippines.
In her speech at the Gapan City gymnasium in Nueva Ecija, Santiago said that she will end the culture of corruption in the country.
According to an article in Manila Bulletin, Sen. Miriam said that during her government assignments before, she was able to ‘clean’ the corruption in the government agencies she handled.
Among the achievements of Santiago was being a Ramon Magsaysay awardee for her government service in 1988. It is said because of her “bold and moral leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency” in the then, Commission of Immigration and Deportation.
Senator Santiago became known for unraveled actions in deporting foreigners that are not abiding the law.
In the report it said that Santiago stated that there are people who tried to bribe her but, “she had not given to those bribes.”
The once Iron Lady of Asia, even trailing in the surveys and lacking money to spend in her campaigns insisted that she will not receive and refuse any form of bribe.
“I may be trailing behind in surveys… when I have no more money they will try to bribe me, they’ll tell me ‘we will fund your expenses’ but actually, it’s a form of bribe. I refuse to receive any bribe.” she said as quoted in the article. The people then applaud and chanted, “Miriam! Miriam!”
Santiago was known to be more speaking in schools and universities where there are many youths in there. She expressed that she “trusts the youth will be the ones to bring her to the presidency.”
The Senator added that once elected, she will be fighting for the rights of the elderly and women. Also, to add more farm-to-market roads and more irrigation for the farmers.