FULL SPEECH: Miriam Defensor Santiago at the University of Perpetual Help, Laguna

Rappler

1 Mar 201610:40

Summary

TLDRThe speaker addresses a campus tour at the University of Perpetual Help, discussing the challenges of rain and traffic. They express faith in the power of prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to overcome obstacles and criticize corrupt politicians. The speaker emphasizes the importance of education in shaping future leaders, calls for self-confidence among Filipinos, and stresses the need for job creation and economic growth. They conclude with an inspirational message, encouraging graduates to be the masters of their faith and soul, and to love and transform the country.

Takeaways

🌧️ The speaker left Manila on a rainy morning and faced heavy traffic, but remained optimistic, planning to pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to alleviate the situation.
🙏 The speaker has faith in the power of prayer, specifically invoking Our Lady of Perpetual Help, to solve problems and influence political figures and thieves.
🏛️ The speaker praises the University of Perpetual Health, highlighting its campus layout and the importance of qualified teachers instilling values in students.
🎓 The speaker expresses confidence in the university's graduates becoming future leaders, emphasizing the need for genuine leadership over hypocritical and corrupt figures.
💰 The speaker criticizes corrupt politicians who steal public funds and use them for personal gain, returning a fraction to voters in a cycle of exploitation.
🙌 The speaker calls for a change in values, urging the people to rise above immorality and embrace faith, hope, and charity.
🗣️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of explaining the country's problems to the youth and the need for job creation as a priority for political candidates.
💼 The speaker suggests that job creation requires new businesses, which in turn need capital from both local and foreign investors.
🌍 The speaker reflects on the Filipino people's potential, comparing them favorably to other nationalities in terms of natural resources and capabilities.
💪 The speaker encourages self-confidence among Filipinos, countering the narrative of the country being full of thieves and suggesting that education can change this perception.

Q & A

What is the main concern expressed by the speaker about the weather and traffic in Manila?
-The speaker expresses concern about the rain and heavy traffic in Manila, which are impacting the Campus Tour.
What does the speaker claim to do in response to the weather and traffic issues?
-The speaker claims to pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to resolve the issues of rain and heavy traffic.
What is the significance of 'Palakpakan' mentioned in the script?
-'Palakpakan' is used in the script as a metaphorical term to describe corrupt politicians and thieves.
What is the speaker's opinion on the current state of politics and leadership in the country?
-The speaker is critical of the current political landscape, describing it as being in the grip of poverty and led by hypocritical and corrupt leaders.
Why does the speaker mention the University of Perpetual Health?
-The speaker mentions the University of Perpetual Health as an example of an institution that can produce genuine leaders for the country.
What does the speaker suggest is needed to address the issue of unemployment in the country?
-The speaker suggests that to address unemployment, the country needs to create new jobs by fostering new businesses and attracting both local and foreign capital.
What is the speaker's view on the Filipino people's self-confidence?
-The speaker believes that the Filipino people lack self-confidence and that this is a major hindrance to progress, despite having abundant natural resources and talents.
What message does the speaker convey to the graduates of the University of Perpetual Health?
-The speaker conveys a message of hope and encouragement to the graduates, telling them not to be disheartened and to have faith in their abilities to become future leaders.
What does the speaker suggest as the first step in transforming the country?
-The speaker suggests that the first step in transforming the country is to create 2 million jobs.
How does the speaker encourage the audience to view the challenges faced by the country?
-The speaker encourages the audience to view the challenges faced by the country with optimism, love, and determination, emphasizing that the country loves them and they should love it back.

Outlines

00:00

🌧️ Campus Tour Amidst Rain and Traffic

The speaker recounts leaving Manila on a rainy morning, facing concerns about a campus tour due to drizzling rain and heavy traffic. Despite these challenges, she remains optimistic, expressing her faith in the power of prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to alleviate traffic and stop the rain. She humorously suggests that praying to this religious figure could also influence politicians and thieves, hinting at the pervasive issues of corruption. The speaker then shifts to discussing the importance of genuine leadership, particularly from young people in universities like the University of Perpetual Health. She emphasizes the need for qualified teachers who can instill values in society, drawing a comparison between the university's campus and those in America and Europe. The speaker expresses her belief in the potential of the university's graduates to become real leaders of the country, contrasting them with hypocritical and corrupt politicians.

05:01

🙏 Prayer for a United and Prosperous Philippines

In this paragraph, the speaker addresses the audience at the University of Perpetual, discussing the country's struggle with corruption and the need for a united prayer to God for a better future. She criticizes the current state of affairs where hard-earned money ends up in the pockets of criminals and calls for a change in values, emphasizing faith, hope, and charity. The speaker highlights the importance of explaining the country's problems to the youth and the need for job creation as a solution. She stresses the necessity of new businesses and capital, both local and foreign, to stimulate the economy. The speaker also touches on the importance of self-confidence and the potential of the Filipino people, drawing from her experiences abroad and comparing the Filipino's capabilities with other nationalities. She encourages the audience not to be disheartened and to have faith in the country's love for them, despite the challenges faced.

10:04

💪 Becoming the Master of Our Own Destiny

The final paragraph is a call to action, urging the audience to remember the words of the poem 'Invictus' by William Ernest Henley, which speaks to the power of self-mastery and resilience. The speaker uses this poem as a metaphor for the country's potential to transform itself, becoming the master of its faith and the captain of its soul. She encourages the audience to take control of their own lives and the nation's future, ending on a note of empowerment and optimism.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Perpetual Help

Perpetual Help refers to the continuous assistance or intervention, often associated with divine or spiritual support. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help,' which is a title given to the Virgin Mary in Catholicism, symbolizing her constant help and protection. The speaker invokes this concept to express hope for divine intervention in improving the country's situation, as seen in the line 'we pray that Our Lady of Perpetual Help will come descend to the Filipino people.'

💡Campus Tour

A Campus Tour refers to a guided visit around an educational institution, typically for prospective students or visitors to get acquainted with the facilities and environment. In the script, the Campus Tour is mentioned as an event that the speaker is concerned about due to the rain and heavy traffic, indicating the significance of the event for the university and the speaker's commitment to it.

💡Leadership

Leadership is the act of leading a group of people or an organization. It involves setting a direction and motivating others to follow. The video emphasizes the need for genuine leaders, particularly from younger generations and educational institutions like the University of Perpetual Health, who can instill values and make a positive impact on society. The speaker expresses this need when discussing the importance of having leaders who are not hypocritical and do not engage in corruption.

💡Values

Values are principles or standards of behavior that guide an individual or society. In the video, the speaker talks about the importance of instilling a sense of values in society, particularly through education. The script mentions that teachers at the University of Perpetual Health are qualified and provide a sense of values, implying that these values are crucial for shaping the future leaders of the country.

💡Poverty

Poverty refers to the state of being extremely poor, often characterized by a lack of basic needs such as food, clean water, and shelter. The video script discusses the country's struggle with poverty and the need for leaders who can address this issue. The speaker mentions that the country is 'in the grip of poverty,' highlighting the urgency for change and improvement.

💡Corruption

Corruption is the abuse of power for personal gain, often involving bribery or embezzlement. The script strongly criticizes corrupt politicians, referring to them as 'magnanakaw' (thieves in Filipino), and discusses how they misuse public funds. The speaker calls for an end to this corruption and for leaders who are not hypocritical and do not steal from the public.

💡Self-confidence

Self-confidence is the belief in one's own abilities and worth. The video script emphasizes the importance of self-confidence for the Filipino people, suggesting that a lack of it is one of the factors holding them back. The speaker encourages the audience to have faith in themselves and their potential, as illustrated by the statement 'There is nothing to hold the Filipino back except our own lack of self-confidence.'

💡Employment

Employment refers to the state of having a job or being engaged in work for wages or salary. The script discusses the importance of job creation as a solution to the country's problems. The speaker mentions the need for new businesses and capital to create jobs, emphasizing that providing employment is a critical responsibility of leaders.

💡Capitalism

Capitalism is an economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and the pursuit of profit. In the video, the speaker talks about the need for capital from both local businessmen and foreign investors to create new businesses and jobs. This indicates a belief in the role of capitalism in driving economic growth and providing opportunities for employment.

💡Filipino Pride

Filipino Pride refers to the sense of pride and self-respect associated with being Filipino. The video script touches on the need for the Filipino people to take pride in their identity and capabilities. The speaker counters negative stereotypes and suggests that the Filipino people should not be defined by corruption or poverty, but rather by their potential and achievements.

💡Education

Education is the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values, often in a formal setting like a school or university. The video script highlights the role of education in shaping future leaders and instilling values. The speaker praises the University of Perpetual Health for its qualified teachers and its role in educating students who will become leaders, emphasizing the importance of education in the country's development.

Highlights

The speaker left Manila in the morning and encountered rain and heavy traffic, but remained optimistic about their plans.

Staff called about a problem with the Campus Tour due to rain and traffic, but the speaker assured them of their secret to overcome obstacles.

The speaker plans to pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Help for assistance with the weather and traffic.

A humorous anecdote is shared about the speaker's father running for mayor and the professional courtesy among politicians.

The speaker discusses the need for genuine leaders from universities like the University of Perpetual Help.

The campus of the University of Perpetual Help is described as having a quadrangle where students meet.

The speaker expresses hope that graduates will become leaders and not be hypocritical or corrupt.

A critique is made about politicians who are accused of stealing and then giving back to voters.

The speaker calls for prayers to Our Lady of Perpetual Help to guide the Filipino people towards better values.

The importance of explaining national problems to the youth and providing jobs is emphasized.

The speaker discusses the need for new businesses and capital to create jobs.

A call for Filipinos to have faith in themselves and not to be held back by a lack of self-confidence.

The speaker shares personal experiences of living abroad and competing with other nationalities.

A message of hope and love for the country, despite the challenges faced by the Philippines.

The speaker encourages graduates to remember that they are watched over and to not be disheartened.

A closing statement about the power of faith and the soul in transforming the country.