Present at the wake of Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago were her immediate family members daughter-in-law Mechel and granddaughters.
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago was known for her tough exterior but close family members remember the soft side of Asia’s “Iron Lady.”
Mechel, Santiago’s daughter-in-law, said the senator was a very hands-on grandmother.
“Grandma takes care of them from the diaper to the undergarments to clothing, everything, pati pagpili ng damit at tinuturuan niya sa buhay, so lahat ’yun mami-miss namin sa kanya,” Mechel told INQUIRER.net on Friday.
READ: Miriam Santiago; 71
Santiago had five grandchildren but only two were able to attend the wake: Mea, 8; and Maria Madison, 5.
“Yung tatlo maliliit pa eh. Ang alam nung tatlo eh nasa hospital … ang gusto niya dati ang sabihin parang nag-aral lang siya sa abroad para hindi masyado ma-miss,” Mechel said.
Both Santiago’s granddaughters said they would miss everything about their grandmother.
“She was a great grandma, very thoughtful of the kids. She’s very smart and intelligent. She’s like a walking encyclopedia or a walking computer. Every time we ask her something we don’t have to look for a computer. Alam na kasi niya kaagad,” Mechel said.
“We always told her we want her sana to be here for the kids so she can guide them,” she added.
Santiago died in her sleep on Thursday morning after two-year battle with lung cancer./rga
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