Zacarias D. Santos was born on November 5, 1942, in Pampanga, Philippines with a Chinese father, Basilio (deceased) and Filipino mother, Francisca (deceased). He is lovingly called "Ling" by his wife, Natalia, a teacher who he married in June of 1967. He is known as Tata to his children. He has six children, with the initials of their names bearing the acronym for SANTOS – Samuel, Abel, Noemi, Teresa (who died of cancer in 2003), Obed and Sarah. With God's help, all his children finished college. He was a good provider to his family and a good disciplinarian. Zacarias is survived by his wife, children, eight grandkids and five siblings.
Zacarias finished his Bachelor's Degree in Education at the Philippine Normal College in the Philippines as a self-supporting student and then his Master of Arts in Education.
He was a Master Teacher II and later on promoted to school principal and became a School District Supervisor in another town in Pampanga, Philippines. He eventually came back to his hometown, Apalit and served as a School District Supervisor until he retired.
Being a school district supervisor, he was awarded the Most Outstanding Administrator. He was called "Honesto" in the district and in the division office for being honest and humble in all his undertakings. He was loved and respected by his colleagues. He was admired by many and served as a good role model for his family and friends because of his word of honor.
Zacarias passed away at the age of 79 due to heart failure on December 18, 2021, at 4:04 in the afternoon at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo.
He is a great loss to the Santos family. May the Lord Almighty shine His perpetual light upon him.