Samantha Santos

Samantha Santos
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cotabato's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office July 28, 2025
Preceded by	Jose Tejada
Personal details
Born	(1997-03-24) March 24, 1997
Political party	Lakas–CMD
Parents	Raymond Mendoza (father) Emmylou Taliño (mother)
Alma mater	University of Melbourne

Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño Santos (born March 24, 1997) is a Filipino politician serving as the representative of the Third District of Cotabato^[1][2]. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022 and was re-elected in 2025. In the 20th Congress, she was appointed Deputy Majority Leader^[3].

Born in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Santos comes from a political family in North Cotabato. Her mother, Emmylou "Lala" Taliño Mendoza, is the governor of Cotabato, while her stepfather, Raymond Democrito Mendoza, serves as a deputy speaker in the 20th Congress. Her biological father, Alan Hidalgo Santos, passed away during her childhood.

As a legislator, Santos has supported both local and national measures, often promoting her advocacy under the slogan Serbisyo at Malasakit.

Rep. Santos began her formal education at the University of the Immaculate Conception in Davao City, where she completed her primary schooling. For her secondary education, she attended Abbas Orchard Montessori School, an institution known for its emphasis on independent learning and holistic development. After finishing high school, she moved to Australia to pursue her tertiary studies. She first enrolled in the Foundation Studies program at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, a preparatory course designed for international students seeking admission to Australian universities.

Following the completion of her foundation year, Rep. Santos was admitted to the University of Melbourne, where she pursued a double major in Anthropology and Sociology. During her undergraduate years, she engaged in research and academic projects that explored cultural diversity, social systems, and community development.

Two years after earning her undergraduate degree, Rep. Santos returned to the University of Melbourne to further her studies. She completed a master’s degree in Development Studies, a multidisciplinary program focusing on social policy, international development, and sustainable community initiatives. Her postgraduate work provided her with academic grounding and analytical skills that would later inform her legislative priorities and advocacy as a public servant.

Rep. Santos is the regional chairman of the Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas–CMD) in Cotabato, a major political party in the Philippines. Her political career began with her candidacy in the 2022 Philippine general elections for the position of Representative of the Third District of Cotabato. Running under the Lakas–CMD banner, she campaigned on a platform centered on social welfare, infrastructure development, and youth empowerment, encapsulated in her advocacy slogan Serbisyo at Malasakit.

In the 2022 elections, she won decisively, receiving 116,869 votes against her closest rival,^[4] Nelda Tejada of PDP–Laban, who garnered 69,654 votes. Upon assuming office in the 19th Congress, Santos was involved in the passage of both local and national measures, particularly those focused on education, livelihood programs, and rural development.

In the 2025 elections, Rep. Santos ran for re-election and was unopposed, securing a second term in the House of Representatives. In the 20th Congress, she was appointed Deputy Majority Leader.

In 2021, Santos co-founded the Municipal Advocates for Kabataan Empowerment (MAKE), a youth-focused organization serving six municipalities in the Third District of Cotabato. The initiative was inspired by the Cotabato Young Leaders Congress, a program of the Cotabato Provincial Government under the leadership of Governor Emmylou "Lala" Taliño Mendoza. MAKE was established together with former Matalam vice mayor Ralph Ryan Rafael and has since become a platform for training and mentoring young people to take on leadership roles in their communities.

During her college years, Rep. Santos was an active member of the Filipino Student Council of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia. Her involvement in these organizations contributed to her advocacy for youth empowerment and community engagement, which later became a central focus of her public service.

• Samantha Santos on Facebook