Regina Ongsiako Reyes-Mandanas (July 3, 1964 – May 5, 2022) was a Filipina politician who served as the Representative of Marinduque's lone district from 2013 to 2016. She was also the wife of

Batangas Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( ), is a first class province of the Philippines located in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Calabarzon region. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 2,908,494 people, making ...

governor Hermilando Mandanas. Her parents were former Bureau of Immigration commissioner Edmundo Reyes Sr. and

Marinduque Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac, the most popul ...

governor Carmencita O. Reyes.

Early life and career

Regina Ongsiako Reyes was twice accelerated in her primary and secondary school. A consistent

Dean's List A dean's list is an academic award, or distinction, used to recognize the highest level scholarship demonstrated by students in a college or university. This system is most often used in North America, though institutions in Europe, Asia, and Aust ...

er, she finished her

Foreign Service Foreign Service may refer to: * Diplomatic service, the body of diplomats and foreign policy officers maintained by the government of a country * United States Foreign Service, the diplomatic service of the United States government **Foreign Service ...

degree at

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

. She then studied at the Ateneo Law School, where she graduated in the honor roll. After passing the Philippine Bar Examination, she served in government and worked as a solicitor at the Office of Solicitor General. She was the youngest solicitor in history, and also took advanced studies in Comparative Law.

Advocacies

She was a devoted member of the Special Projects Group of

Gawad Kalinga Gawad Kalinga (GK) ("to give care" in Tagalog language, Tagalog) is a Philippine non-governmental organization known officially as the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation. It describes itself as a "poverty alleviation and nation-buildi ...

and was engaged in supporting rehabilitation centers for abused and neglected children, disaster management and relief operations, and volunteer recruitment. Reyes also joined Answering the Cry of the Poor Foundation (USA) Inc., better known as ANCOP U.S.A., and helped empower poor Filipino families by providing them with shelter and livelihood programs and promoting a culture of health consciousness.

Political career

She was the provincial administrator of

for almost two years. During her term, she has been very active in program implementation by the Provincial Government of Marinduque particularly programs by the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWDO) on gender, women, children, and senior citizens and the Provincial Nutrition Office (PNO) on barangay nutrition scholars and supplemental feedings for malnourished children. She was also active in fighting against irresponsible mining and provided jobs to the affected community. In May 2013, Reyes gained almost 4,000 votes more than her opponent Lord Allan Velasco. She was proclaimed as the winner by the Marinduque COMELEC Provincial Board of Canvassers and subsequently took her oath of office before President Benigno S. Aquino III and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte in Malacañang as the duly elected representative of the Lone District of Marinduque. As a member of the 16th Congress, she was the vice-chairwoman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security. She was also a member of several committees, which include the committees on Appropriations, Justice, Health, Natural Resources, Veterans Affairs and Welfare, Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, Youth and Sports Development, Higher and Technical Education, Overseas Workers Affairs, Public Order and Safety, and Women and Gender Equality.

Death

Reyes-Mandanas died on 5 May 2022 at Makati Medical Center due to

sepsis Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. Common signs and s ...

. She was admitted to the hospital and underwent leg

amputation Amputation is the removal of a Limb (anatomy), limb or other body part by Physical trauma, trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as cancer, malign ...

because of a bacterial infection affecting her right foot.

References

External links

yesmarinduque.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reyes Mandanas, Regina 1964 births 2022 deaths Ateneo de Manila University alumni People from Marinduque Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Marinduque Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni Filipino Roman Catholics Deaths from sepsis 21st-century Filipino politicians 21st-century Filipino women politicians Filipino politicians of Chinese descent Women members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines