Councilor Carissa Mariz S. Manalo was born on January 6, 1994. She is a legitimate “Batang Mandaleño”. She grew up in the City of Mandaluyong, Philippines.

She finished her elementary and high school in Don Bosco School Manila. In 2014, she graduated Dean’s Lister with a Bachelor of Arts Major in Consular and Diplomatic of Affairs at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. She joined the delegation to the National Model United Nations (NMUN) Conference in Washington, DC. She was also an exchange student in the Spanish Language and Cultural Immersion Program in Alcala de Henares, Alcalingua Universidad de Alcala in Madrid, Spain. She worked in the Embassy of Argentina, Manila as a Secretary of Political and Administrative to the Ambassador and Consul Officers.

In 2018, Mariz Manalo first entered politics as SK Chairman. She is the niece of Barangay Captain Marlon Manalo. In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Mariz Manalo and her cousin started a “Community Pantry” where they distributed rice, fresh meat and vegetables, canned goods, sanitary kits and medicines. It helped more than 20,000 residents in different cities of Metro Manila such as Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, Manila, Rizal, Caloocan and even the province of Bulacan. She started the fund raising project of “Para! Kay Manong” where her group distributed food and financial assistance to the jeepney and tricycle drivers in Metro Manila.

At the age of 28, she won the 2022 election as an independent candidate and currently serves as City Councilor in Mandaluyong.