Emmylou Mendoza

Emmylou "Lala" Jacolo Taliño-Mendoza (born February 25, 1972) is a Filipina politician. She was a representative for the first congressional district of Cotabato from 2001 until 2010. She was then elected as the Governor of Cotabato against Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Emmylou Taliño was born on February 25, 1972, in Makilala, North Cotabato (now known as Cotabato). She studied at the Notre Dame of Kidapawan for Girls for her primary and secondary education. She studied at Ateneo de Davao University for her tertiary education as an undergraduate for accountancy.^[1]

Early political career and representative

From 1993 to 1996, she was the chairperson for Sangguniang Kabataan. In 1998, she was the Senior Board Member for the Local Government Unit in Cotabato. She became a representative for Cotabato's 1st congressional district after the 2001 Philippine House of Representatives elections.^[1]

Governor of Cotabato

She won as Governor of the Province during the 2010 Philippine gubernatorial elections against Then-Vice Governor Emmanuel Piñol, causing Piñol to file an election protest against her, which was dismissed. In the 2013 Philippine gubernatorial elections, she won against Piñol, leading Piñol to once again, file an election protest against her, which he eventually reversed. In the 2016 Philippine gubernatorial elections, she ran under the Liberal Party against four other candidates.^[1]

Personal life

She is married to Congressman Raymond Mendoza, representative of the TUCP Partylist. Together they have one son, Emilio Ramon, and she has a daughter from a previous marriage, Maria Alana Samantha Santos. She is of an ethnic Ilocano descent.^[1]