Ma. Bernardita Ramos

Maria Bernardita "Ditas" Bañares Ramos (February 17, 1944 – September 8, 2020) was a Filipina high school teacher, travel agent and legislator from Sorsogon, Philippines. She served in the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing Sorsogon's 2nd congressional district in the 18th Congress from 2019 until her death in 2020. She was the youngest sister of three-term Sorsogon representative Deogracias B. Ramos Jr.

Early life and education Ramos was born on February 17, 1944, in the municipality of Gubat in Sorsogon, the youngest of six children born to Gubat native Deogracias Pura Ramos Sr. and Vicenta Bañares from Barcelona. Her father was a Philippine Army veteran who retired as a colonel and her maternal grandfather, Donato Bañares, worked as a judge in Barcelona. She won the district race with 110,264 votes, beating former Sorsogon governor Robert Rodrigueza Lee of PDP–Laban, Randy Medina of Lakas and independent candidate Juan Escandor.

As a member of the 18th Congress, Ramos filed 29 legislative proposals relating to her work as a member of the majority bloc in the following House committees: Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources, Health, Human Rights, Public Works and Highways and Tourism. She voted to pass the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 in Congress in June 2020. She also co-authored Republic Act 11478 that converted the Bicol Medical Center in Naga, Camarines Sur into a 1,000-bed capacity hospital.

Personal life Ramos was unmarried and had no children. She was earlier diagnosed with cancer but had tested positive for coronavirus just two days prior to her death. She was identified as COVID-19 Bicol patient #1467.