Mary Ann de Los Santos: A trailblazing legislator seeking to make a City Hall comeback

Full of vision and hunger for excellence with a heart devoted to serving the people, multi-awarded Cebuano public servant Mary Ann de Los Santos has certainly stamped her class as one of the finest legislators the Cebu City Council has ever had.

Testament to that, De Los Santos has made significant milestones with her trailblazing programs and meaningful laws and ordinances during her two consecutive terms as City councilor starting in 2013.

With all the beneficial things that she has done for her constituents, De Los Santos fervently hopes to use them as leverage as she seeks to make a comeback at the City Hall three weeks from now.

Making a difference in the lives of others with her valuable programs on health, De Los Santos authored the ordinance granting a two-hectare land at the South Road Properties to the Department of Health as well as the creation of a free breast screening program for indigent women of the city.

Truly a champion of the health sector, De Los Santos was responsible for the establishment of a Barangay Behavioral Health Unit in Cebu City, the first of its kind in the country which is very timely and relevant at this time of pandemic wherein mental health is of utmost importance.

She also penned the “half-rice” ordinance to promote responsible rice consumption by avoiding rice left over or rice wastage.

“Para nako, i-implementar gyud na nga tugotan ang pag-order og half-rice. It might be insignificant tan-awon nimo but ang tinubdan ani is good ilabi na karon sa sitwasyon sa rice supply sa atong nasud,” said De los Santos, who rose from her humble beginnings as a barangay councilor to barangay captain and two-term City councilor with multiple accolades both local and national under her belt.  

Among her notable piece of legislation, De Los Santos crafted the law giving financial incentives to all topnotchers in board examinations.

“Para nako, usa sa meaningful nga atong nahimo kining balaod paghatag og financial incentives sa mga topnotchers sa tanang board exams. Kita maoy gasugod ana ug daghan kaayo ang naka-benefit ani,” said De los Santos.

She also takes pride in the creation of “Elderly Friendly Facility” in all hospitals, be it private or public, and in home health care/home for the aged.

“Atong makita karon nga ang tanan natong mga hospital elderly friendly na gyud na. Niining panahon sa ilang kinabuhi, mahinungdanon kaayo nga kining atong mga katigulangan hatagan nato og bili ug importansiya,” De los Santos shared.

De los Santos bared that she really has more plans for the health sector once given another chance to serve the people of Cebu City.

“Puhon og makabalik na gyud ko,  I want to have a separate floor sa Cebu City Medical Center for geriatric, kaning sa mga tiguwang ba. If you have a pediatric, nganong dili man ta kabutang og geriatric to provide healthcare for old people,” De los Santos said.

“It’s something different gyud. But that is very encompassing with health. Mao gyud nay akong advocacy,”she continued.

De los Santos vows to implement more worthwhile projects for the welfare and best interest of the people especially the poor and marginalized sectors of the society that are the cornerstone of her platform of governance in her determined campaign to return to the Cebu City Hall come the May 9, 2022 elections.