MARIA ISABELLE “BENG” CLIMACO finished her secondary education in NJ USA. She is a registered teacher by profession and holds a Master’s Degree in Family Ministry and Counselling from the Ateneo de Manila University. She also holds a rank of Lt. Col., a reservist of the Philippine Army, and actively volunteering in stress debriefing sessions for Filipino soldiers.
She has served for two terms as a City Councilor in Zamboanga City (1998-2001; 2001-2003) and as Vice Mayor in 2004. She was elected to be a member of the House of Representatives in the 14th and 15th Congress and became the youngest and only woman Deputy Speaker in the 15th Congress. The people of Zamboanga City gave her the biggest mandate ever which is to serve as their Chief Executive and was elected as the 2nd Lady Mayor of the City of Zamboanga on May 13, 2013 and was re-elected on May 9, 2016. Security, Health, and Education (S.H.E) has been her utmost priorities.