Miriam launches book 'Stupid is Forever'

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, the feisty lawmaker known for her verbal acrobatics and caustic takedowns of other politicians, believes that making fun of the country's problems helps in understanding them better.

"I think if we laugh more and take ourselves so seriously less, I think the public debate will be much better for our insights,” she said during the launch and signing of her book 'Stupid is Forever' on Wednesday at the National Bookstore in Trinoma, Quezon City.

The senator said she didn’t expect the huge crowd that would come during the event.

“Maski ako hindi ko inasahan na ganito karami ang taong darating sa ganitong oras dahil weekday ngayon, e, Miyerkules pa man din,” she said in an interview after the book launch.

The book is a compilation of the senator’s jokes, one-liners, pick-up lines, comebacks, and speeches she’d delivered in different talks and programs.

“Sa halip na mag-lecture nang mag-lecture sa taong bayan, minsan mas madali pa kung idaan na lang natin sa pabiro, dyan nagkakaintindihan tayo lalo na tayong mga Pilipino in our own way, we have our own sense of humor,” she said.

Santiago said she felt that using humor to communicate to the public has been a good move as they better understand the issues in the country if it were discussed lightly.

Sen. Miriam’s book “Stupid is Forever” was published by ABS-CBN Publishing and is now available in different bookstores nationwide.