Early life and education[edit]Santiago was born inIloilo Cityto a judge and a dean. She is the eldest of seven children. Santiago was a child prodigy, winning as a freshman the high school spelling bee, which she won for all four years. She graduatedvaledictorianin grade school, high school, undergraduate school, and law school in theDilimancampus (at that time separate from theManilacampus).[11]In 1965, Santiago graduated with aBachelor of Artsdegree inPolitical Science,magna cum laudefrom theUniversity of the Philippines Visayas. It took her only three and a half years to complete her degree. After graduation, she was elected to thePi Gamma MuandPhi Kappa Phisororities.Despite a three-month bout with illness, Santiago proceeded to theUniversity of the Philippines College of Law. There, she was champion in numerous oratorical contests and debates.[12]She became the first female editor of the nationally famous student newspaper,The Philippine Collegian, and was twice appointed ROTC muse.[13][14]She graduatedBachelor of Laws,cum laude, from theUniversity of the Philippines College of Law. Santiago went on a fellowship to theUnited States, and earned the degreesMaster of LawsandDoctor of Juridical Sciencedegrees at theUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She finished both degrees in a period of only one and a half years.[15]As a law honor graduate and editor of the Philippine Journal, she had many job offers. But she chose to serve government as special assistant to the justice secretary. She also taughtpolitical scienceat theTrinity University of Asia. She was law professor at theUniversity of the Philippines, teaching evening classes for some ten years.[16][17]She did professional studies atOxfordandHarvardlaw summer schools;Cambridgeat the Lauterpacht Research Centre for International Law;The Hague Academy of International Law; etc. She earned the degree Master of Religious Studies (without thesis) at theMaryhill School of Theology.[1]In 1970, she married Narciso Yap Santiago. They had two sons, but one died in college. They have four grandchildren.