Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares Santiago retires Monday from the highest court of the land close to 40 years after she started as a Municipal Judge and 10 years after her appointment to the Supreme Court on April 6, 1999.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law where she graduated in 1962, Justice Santiago started her career in the judiciary in 1973 when she was appointed Municipal Judge of Cainta, Rizal, a position she held for 13 years. In 1986, she was appointed Regional Trial Court Judge of Makati where she remained until her appointment to the Court of Appeals in 1990.

As a member of the judiciary, Justice Santiago has done much to improve the image of women in the field of law, business, and politics. She has been invited to speak in various forums here and abroad and has been given recognition by various organizations that promote women’s rights.

A native of Binangonan, Rizal, where she was born on October 5, 1939, Justice Santiago received in 1994 the Pambayang Gawad Palosebo, the highest municipal award given to outstanding citizens of Binangonan, Rizal, who have excelled in their professions and are role models for the youth. She received the “Ulirang Ina’’ award for Law and Judiciary from the National Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Foundation of the Philippines on May 7, 1995, and the “Gintong Ina’’ award from the Golden Mother and Father Foundation on May 11, 1997, awards that testify to her being a loving wife to the late Atty. Francisco B. Santiago and a devoted mother to four accomplished children: Pura Angelica, a lawyer, Jonas Francisco, a doctor of medicine, Regina Carmela, another doctor of medicine and Jennylind Allison, a marketing executive.

We express our sincerest admiration and deepest appreciation to a woman of competence, integrity, and selflessness who has served the country well.

We wish Supreme Court Associate Justice Consuelo Ynares Santiago all the best and success in all her endeavors as she retires from a distinguished career in the judiciary.