Isidoro de Santos

Isidoro Ongsiaco – De Santos, also known as “Orong”, was born on April 4, 1873, in Tondo, Manila. He is the 2nd child of Marcelino Rafael – De Santos and Irene Soriano – Ongsiaco. Isidoro studied at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1884-1885, at the University of Santo Tomas where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1887, and Colegio de San Jose and Hospital de San Juan de Dios in 1888-1889. During his stay in Spain, he studied at the University of Barcelona and Hospital de Sta. Cruz in 1889-1893 obtaining his License in Medicine. He studied further at various schools and hospitals during 1894-1895. He finished his research work at Universidad Central de Madrid and acquired his Doctor in Medicine (M.D) in 1895.

During the Philippine Revolution, his father, Marcelino De Santos was imprisoned at Fort Santiago by the Spaniards on suspicion of supporting the revolutionary movement but was later released. Fearing for their lives, the De Santos clan went into exile in Straits Settlement of Singapore. In 1898, President Emilio Aguinaldo briefly stayed with the De Santos Family during his visit to Singapore. Isidoro accompanied President Aguinaldo in his meeting with US Consul General, Edward Spencer Pratt. In celebration of the supposed independence of the Philippines and “promising support” from the Americans, he delivered a speech in French thanking the Americans. Isidoro taught at Universidad Cientifico - Literaria de Filipinas and specialized in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was also a member of Comite Central Filipino and was appointed as Vice-Chairman by Galicano Apacible.

In 1903, during the cholera outbreak, he was a member of an advisory board of practitioners on Hygiene of Manila. With his efforts to stop the disease with the help of fellow medical colleagues, gained him great popularity. He established a hospital for cholera patients in Gagalangin, Tondo with financial support from well-known families of Tondo, Manila. He worked as the director of the said hospital without compensation. He gained the attention of then Governor-General of the Philippines, Henry Clay – Ide, especially his petition for drafting an ordinance to provide proper sanitation in Manila.

Isidoro De Santos was elected as the representative of the first district of Manila (Binondo, Intramuros, San Nicolas, and Tondo) in the 1912 Philippine Assembly, probably as a result of his services and the adoration from the people.

In 1930's, Isidoro built the Ides – O’Racca Building (Ides=Isidoro De Santos) in M. De Santos St. San Nicolas, Manila. German Architect Arthur Julius Gabler-Gumbert designed the building. Isidoro and his family lived in the building.

Isidoro De Santos died at San Juan de Dios Hospital, Intramuros, Manila on August 24, 1939, at age of 66. He was interred in the De Santos Family Mausoleum at Manila North Cemetery.

Official Directory of the Philippine Assembly (1913, p. 78-80)

Baptismal certificate

Death certificate