Manny Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao is known by sports-lovers around the world as "Pacman," not as a politician but as
one of the best boxers in history. He did try his luck in politics, however. He ran for congress in 2007
but lost. His countrymen apparently believed his place was inside the ring and not in politics.

Politics, and not boxing, is now Manny Pacquaios first passion, according to his fellow politicians.

He is the most influential and popular figure in the Philippines. Even the level of popularity, that Michael Jordan, Tiger
Woods, and Julio Cesar Chavez attained in their home country pale in comparison.
But why are Filipinos so passionate about Pacquiao? Why give an athlete such a high degree of attention? For
Filipinos it is more than Pacquiao and the sport of boxing.
It is the first time that a Filipino has been considered the best at a major sport around the world. For a community with
a large number of its young generation still looking for their identity, it has given many of them a figure that they can
identify with and help them become proud of being Filipino.
Filipinos are the second largest Asian group in the United States, yet they are the least represented. Its a joke that
shows such as ER did not show any Filipinos. When is the last time you saw a hospital without a Filipino nurse?
Also, Pacquiaos story of rags to riches gives inspiration to a country whose majority of its citizens are in poverty.
Here is a story of a young man from a broken home, who sold bread on the streets to help his family. If that was not
enough, he grew up in an island where violence is part of everyday life.
But with his talent combined with unrivaled determination and work ethic, he was able to overcome all the obstacles
thrown at him to become successful. His story is a constant reminder to Filipinos that they control their own destiny
no matter what their current status in life is.
But the most significant contribution Pacquiao has given to his countrymen is that he has given them a glimpse of
what their nation could be and should be. In a country stricken with poverty, political instability, and violence, as long
as Pacquiao is in the ring, the Philippines become a nation united.
When he is fighting, people from the squatters can stand, sit, and cheer side by side with businessmen and
executives.
Filipino Muslims can have a beer with their Filipino Christian brothers both with the same prayer, hope and goal.
Children in the island of Mindanao can play freely in the streets without the worry of being in the middle of a gun
battle.
As with Muhammad Ali and Jackie Robinson, Manny Pacquiaos legacy will stand the test of time due to his positive
social contributions rather his accomplishments in the ring. Hopefully, the intellectual politicians in the Philippines
learn from Pacquiao and lead the nation to the right path.



Miriam Defensor Santiago


Miriam Defensor Santiago is politician, professor, and public servant who is most notable for being
the very first Filipino to win a seat as a judge at the International Criminal Court. In her more than
twenty years of political career, Miriam has proven herself to be an honest, efficient, and excellent
public servant, which is why the Filipino people love her. A stalwart of justice and truth, Miriam has
always fought to ensure that these two virtues prevail in the Philippine political arena in every
session she is in; from the time she started working in the public sector, Miriam has exhibited the
traits of a true Filipino politician.
Miriam Defensor Santiago became globally famous with her courageous and brilliant crusade against
corruption in the Philippines. As a result, at 43, she was named Laureate of the Asian Nobel Prize, known
as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service. She was cited "for bold and moral leadership in
cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency."

Miriam was widely featured in the international press because of her charisma, flamboyant personality,
and her signature witticisms, making her good copy. In 1997, the Australian magazine named her one of
"The 100 Most Powerful Women in the World." In later years, Miriam was keynote speaker of the
international anticorruption conference in Sydney, Australia. As senator, she sponsored and secured
ratification by the Philippine Senate of the UN Convention Against Corruption.

Miriam ran for President of the Philippines in 1992, and led in the canvass of nationwide votes for the first
five days. But she was ultimately defeated by a margin of less than a million votes out of 36 million votes.
The campaign was reportedly marred by widespread election fraud, notably power blackouts after the
first five days. The public outrage over the presidential results prompted Newsweek to feature her and
her rival on the cover with the question: "Was the Election Fair?" In another cover story, Philippine Free
Press magazine asked: "Who's the Real President?"


Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines with an iron fist from 1966 to 1986.
Critics charged Marcos and his regime with crimes like corruption and nepotism. Marcos himself is said
to have exaggerated his role in World War II. He also murdered a family political rival.
So, how did this man stay in power?
Marcos created an elaborate cult of personality. When that state-mandated adulation proved
insufficient for him to maintain control, President Marcos declared martial law.
Under martial law, Ferdinand Marcos took extraordinary powers for himself. He used the country's military as a weapon against
his political enemies, displaying a typically ruthless approach to opposition.
Marcos also awarded a huge number of government posts to his and Imelda's relatives.
Imelda herself was a member of Parliament (1978-84); Governor of Manila (1976-86); and Minister of
Human Settlements (1978-86).
Marcos called parliamentary elections on April 7, 1978. None of the members of jailed former Senator Benigno Aquino's
LABAN party won their races.
Election monitors cited widespread vote-buying by Marcos loyalists.

Corazon Aquino
The triumph of the peaceful People Power Revolution and the ascension of Corazon Aquino into
power signaled the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines and the dawning of a new era for
Filipinos. The relatively peaceful manner by which Aquino came into power drew international
acclaim and admiration not only for her but for the Filipino people, as well.
During the first months of Aquino's presidency, the country experienced radical changes and
sweeping democratic reforms. One of Aquino's first and boldest moves was the creation of
the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was tasked to go after the
Marcos ill-gotten wealth. Aquino, being a revolutionary president by virtue of people power,
abolished the 1973 "Marcos Constitution" and dissolved the Marcos allies-dominated Batasang
Pambansa, despite the advice of her vice-president and only prime minister Salvador Laurel. She
also immediately created a Constitutional Commission, which she directed for the drafting of a new
constitution for the nation.
On the over-all, the Aquino administration made important gains in the aspects of bringing back
democracy, restoring investor confidence in the economy and enacting legal and constitutional
reforms. Despite these achievements, her presidency faced several threats from both right-wing
military elements and extreme left-wing communist rebels. Further, her administration dealt with
numerous problems such as major natural disasters which struck the country and severe power
shortages which took a toll on doing business in the Philippines. It was also during her tenure that
the United States finally ended its military bases and presence in the country.


Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr
He was the son of Corazon Aquino, who served as president of the Philippines (198692), and
political leader Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr.themselves the children of politically connected
families. The elder Benigno, an opposition figure to Pres. Ferdinand Marcos who was imprisoned
when the younger Benigno was a child, was released and allowed to go to the United States in
1980. The following year the younger Benigno, after graduating from Ateneo de Manila University
with a bachelors degree in economics, followed his family to Boston. His father returned to the
Philippines in 1983 intending to challenge Marcos for the presidency but was assassinated
immediately on arrival. The family nevertheless returned to the country soon afterward, and there the
young Aquino worked for companies including Philippine Business for Social Progress and Nike
Philippines.
In September 2009 Aquino announced his candidacy in the 2010 presidential race. His mother, to
many a symbol of democratic rule in the Philippines, had died the previous month, an event that
heightened Aquinos profile and served as a catalyst for his seeking higher office. Though his
opponents for the presidency included such seasoned politicians as Joseph Estrada, who had
previously served as president of the Philippines (19982001), Aquino was considered the front-
runner from the time that he entered the race. In the elections held on May 10, Aquino won the
presidency by a wide margin.