Miriam Defensor Santiago Quotes

Philippine - Academic, Author, Judge, Lawyer, Scholar, Stateswoman (Served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executive, and legislative.) - June 15, 1945 - September 29, 2016

12 Quotes Of Miriam Defensor Santiago

Await occasions and never hurry.


Life is a consequence of our moral choices.


Hindi lahat ng sweet ay loyal sa’yo. Tandaan, sweet nga ang candy, pero nakabalot naman sa plastic.


In a corrupt country, if you want to succeed in politics, you must keep your conscience under control.


A smart wife is one who makes sure she spends so much that her husband can't afford another woman.


It is wrong to think that happiness is a series of unrelated experiences. On the contrary, happiness is an ordered whole characterizing an entire life.


What is the meaning of life? This meaning is not for you to find, but for you to define. The meaning of life is found in the purposes that we pursue as we grow older.


I have no illusions about myself, about my life, about leaving a legacy, or making a mark in people's lives. We are so insignificant. We are only here for a blink.


Dare beyond your strength, hazard beyond your judgment, and in extremities, proceed in excellent hope. Bare the accidents of life with dignity and grace, making the best of circumstances.


In my view, leadership is the courage to take risks in defense of a position that is both legal and moral. The politician who tries to become a wise guy by becoming friends to everybody - corrupt or not - is not a leader.


Before I formulate an opinion, I try as a scholar and as an academician to read entire libraries on the topic and to listen to as many people as possible, regardless of whether they are savants or plain fools. However, once I have formed an opinion, I no longer want to change it. Only experience can tell me whether I'm right or I'm wrong. If I'm right, I will gloat a little bit about it. If I'm wrong, then I will excoriate myself, I will apologize publicly.


In my approaching old age, I am now supposed to share with you what life has taught me, and in the end to encapsulate for you what is the meaning of life. From where I am now, I find that these conundrums are easily answered. First, life teaches us that, whether we perceive it as predestined or as random, it is beyond any person's control. Second, there is no template for the meaning of life. Instead, the meaning of life is what you choose to make it mean. In making your choice, when you reach my age, your journey becomes an affirmation of the warning that life is a consequence of our moral choices.

Miriam Defensor Santiago Choices

In my approaching old age,

I am now supposed to share

with you what life has taught me,

and in the end to encapsulate

for you what is the meaning of life.

From where I am now,

I find that these conundrums

are easily answered.

First, life teaches us that,

whether we perceive it as predestined or as random,

it is beyond any person's control.

Second, there is no template for the meaning of life.

Instead, the meaning of life

is what you choose to make it mean.

In making your choice, when you reach my age,

your journey becomes an affirmation

of the warning

that life is a consequence of our moral choices.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago My Opinion

Before I formulate an opinion,

I try as a scholar and as an academician

to read entire libraries on the topic

and to listen to as many people as possible,

regardless of whether

they are savants or plain fools.

However, once I have formed an opinion,

I no longer want to change it.

Only experience can tell me

whether I'm right or I'm wrong.

If I'm right, I will gloat a little bit about it.

If I'm wrong, then I will excoriate myself,

I will apologize publicly.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Leadership

In my view,

leadership is the courage

to take risks in defense of a position

that is both legal and moral.

The politician who tries

to become a wise guy

by becoming friends

to everybody - corrupt or not - is not a leader.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Circumstances

Dare beyond your strength,

hazard beyond your judgment,

and in extremities,

proceed in excellent hope.

Bare the accidents of life

with dignity and grace,

making the best of circumstances.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Blink Of Life

I have no illusions about myself,

about my life,

about leaving a legacy,

or making a mark in people's lives.

We are so insignificant.

We are only here for a blink.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago What Is Life?

What is the meaning of life?

This meaning is not for you to find,

but for you to define.

The meaning of life is

found in the purposes

that we pursue as we grow older.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Happiness

It is wrong to think

that happiness is a series of

unrelated experiences.

On the contrary,

happiness is an ordered

whole characterizing an entire life.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Smart Wife

A smart wife is one

who makes sure

she spends so much

that her husband

can't afford another woman.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

Miriam Defensor Santiago Corrupt Country

In a corrupt country,

if you want to succeed in politics,

you must keep your conscience under control.

Miriam Defensor Santiago

About Me

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I knew I could make money online since the internet's infancy, so I was always creating sites while everyone else was just finding chat rooms and chat buddies. Many of the blogs on this list are my own, but some are for clients, for whom I am creating or simply maintaining these blogs.