Ma. Carissa Coscolluela

Maria Carissa Oledan Coscolluela is a Filipino humanitarian, sports leader, and politician. She has served on the Board of Governors of the Philippine Red Cross since 2011, has been a stalwart of the Philippine equestrian community, and served as member of the House of Representatives in the 14^th Congress.

Early life, education, and career

Born on November 16, 1972 in Manila Philippines to Ricardo Coscolluela and Maria Erlinda Oledan, Coscolluela graduated high school from the International School Manila in 1990 and finished with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1994.

After graduating from university, Coscolluela worked as the Vice President for External Affairs of the Subic Bay Waterfront Development Corporation, which developed the Subic Bay Yacht Club in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. As an active member of the community, Coscolluela became the founding President of the Subic Bay Tourism Association and volunteered as a convenor of various community initiatives of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority under the leadership of its Chairman and Administrator Richard J. Gordon.

Public sector

In 2001, Coscolluela was appointed as the chief of staff of Gordon when the latter became the Secretary of the Department of Tourism under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Coscolluela served concurrently as the OIC Director of the Office of Tourism Information. At the DOT, she oversaw the implementation of key tourism development projects such as the Best of the Regions program in Intramuros, the WOW Philippines international marketing and advertising campaign, and the domestic tourism campaign. Coscolluela coordinated the membership and participation of the DOT and participated in international tourism organizations, conferences and events such as the World Tourism Organization, the World Economic Forum (Asia), the Pacific Asia Travel Association, and the International Tourismus Bourse. When Gordon was elected to the Senate in 2004, Coscolluela served briefly as his chief of staff, shepherding the passage of key legislation through various committees and bicameral conferences and implementing constituent programs.

During the national elections of 2007, Coscolluela was nominated by BUHAY Party List as its second nominee. BUHAY topped the party list election that year and Coscolluela became a member of the 14^th Congress. She was elected to various committees and was a vice chairman of the Committee on Good Government.

As a congresswoman, Coscolluela proposed, advocated, and sponsored legislation in the following areas: economic development, employment and livelihood generation, tourism, humanitarian law, and veterans’ benefits. She was a principal author and sponsor of the important pieces of legislation that saw passage into law: R.A. 9499 – Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act of 2008, R.A. 9593 - Tourism Act of 2009, R.A. 9728 – The Freeport Area of Bataan Act, R.A. 9851 – Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity, R.A. 10072 – The Philippine Red Cross Act of 2009 , R.A. 9509 - The Barangay Livelihood and Skills Training Act of 2008. She also co-authored numerous bills in the fields of health care, education, sports, and economic development. Coscolluela funded through congressional initiatives various infrastructure projects such as farm to market roads, tourism development infrastructure, classrooms, and other roads and bridges, as well as constituent projects such as the computerization of schools and provision of scholarships and medical assistance.

Coscolluela represented the Philippines as part of official delegations to the World Economic Forum (2008 and 2009, Davos, Switzerland), the Asia-Europe Meeting (2008, Beijing, China), United Nations General Assembly, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (2009, Singapore), ASEAN Summit (2009, Hua Hin, Thailand), and other official and state visits, particularly those with investment agendas for economic zones and freeports.

Humanitarian work

Coscolluela sits on the board of governors of the Philippine Red Cross, the leading humanitarian organization in the country.  As Chairman of the Blood Services Committee, she oversees policy for the PRC’s national blood program, including fundraising and implementation of indigent services. In this capacity, she raised a fund of unprecedented magnitude for the benefit of the PRC’s Blood Samaritan Program and Dialysis Program, which fully cover the costs related to the provision of blood and to the delivery of sustained dialysis treatments to indigent patients. To support these services, Coscolluela oversaw the development of auxiliary equipment such as blood storage and processing units and negative pressure ambulances.

Coscolluela steered the organization’s COVID-19 vaccination programs, securing vaccines privately to augment the supply provided by the government, in order to implement a nationwide vaccination campaign for the PRC. During the pandemic, she also oversaw the communications program of the PRC with regards to testing, contact tracing, and emergency services.

Coscolluela has spearheaded and implemented numerous fundraising efforts and relief operations for victims of typhoons, floods, landslides, and other disasters and calamities in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bataan, Laguna, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Leyte, Samar, and Bohol.

Sports leader

An avid equestrian, Coscolluela has served as the chef d’equipe of numerous Philippine national teams to regional championships since 1992 such as the Southeast Asian Games and Asian Games. In 2001, Coscolluela became a founding member of the Equestrian Association of the Philippines. She served as secretary general and president of the EAP in various years. Through her leadership and efforts, the staging of the equestrian component of the Southeast Asian Games in 2005 and along with it the final of the SEA World Cup Jumping League became a rousing success. The Philippine team to the SEA Games that year had a gold medal finish.

Coscolluela is recognized as the driving force behind the elite national squad, securing funding and support as well as pushing for international training and competition opportunities for national team riders such as Toni Leviste, Joker Arroyo, and Colin Syquia. She has secured support from the Philippine Sports Commission and private entities and personally supported members of the national team to numerous international competitions, Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, Asian Equestrian Championships, World Equestrian Games, World Cup Finals, and various Olympic qualifiers.

Along with Arroyo, Leviste, and other members of the equestrian community, Coscolluela in 2018 founded Equestrian Philippines, Inc., the country’s leading equestrian sports development organization with unprecedented accomplishments in the training of elite and developmental athletes, staging of competitions locally and in cooperation with international organizations, and provision of equine management services to the local community. EqPH launched a national championship series – a first for the country in over a decade, that ignited renewed interest in the sport. The group continues to sponsor events and bring professional equestrian expertise to the Philippines and to engage in charitable and humanitarian activities, such as its Ride for Life fundraiser.

Coscolluela has trained and competed in both the Philippines and abroad. In Denmark, she was based at Helgstrand Dressage, considered the top international dressage facility in the world.

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