Maria Santos
Senior UI/UX Designer & Product Strategist
LocalHub Philippines Corporation
Specializing in card-based directory layouts and local service listing page design for Philippine businesses, with expertise in responsive grid systems, location-based filtering by city and barangay, and mobile-optimized pagination solutions.
Professional Background
A decade of solving real design problems for Philippine marketplaces
Maria Santos started her career in 2012 as a junior interaction designer at a Manila-based digital agency. She developed a passion for solving complex information architecture problems that Filipino e-commerce platforms actually face. It wasn’t just about making things look nice — it was about understanding how real people in the Philippines search for services.
Over the next decade, she transitioned into specialized work on local marketplace design. This shift happened because she recognized something that most international design agencies missed: the unique challenges of organizing business listings across the Philippines’s diverse geography. Cities have barangays. Barangays have neighborhoods. Every area has its own character and quirks. Designing a listing system that works across all of this isn’t straightforward.
At LocalHub Philippines Corporation since 2015, she’s architected multiple versions of their flagship directory interface. Each iteration was informed by extensive user testing with business owners and service seekers across Metro Manila, Cebu, and provincial markets. Her work focused on creating scannable card grids that balance visual appeal with accessibility. She designed intuitive filter systems that actually account for local administrative divisions — not just generic “location” dropdowns. She’s optimized infinite scroll implementations for users on slower mobile connections, which is crucial in the Philippines.
What sets Maria’s approach apart is this: she doesn’t apply generic international design patterns. She understands the actual workflows of Philippine small business owners. How they search. What they need to see first. Why a map preview on a card matters when someone’s unfamiliar with a specific barangay. She’s been instrumental in integrating location context elements that serve real user needs, not just trendy features.
Education: Degree in Information Design from the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts. Additional certification in User Experience Research from the Nielsen Norman Group.
Core Specializations
Design expertise built through years of hands-on marketplace development
Card-Based Directory Layouts
Designing scannable card grids with consistent thumbnail and text structure. Every card holds crucial information without overwhelming users. We’re talking thumbnail images, business name, category badge, rating, location snippet — all organized so users can scan quickly.
Location-Based Filtering
Building filter controls for city and barangay selection that actually make sense. Not just dropdown menus — interfaces that reflect how Filipinos think about location. From Metro Manila’s specific cities to provincial areas, every administrative division gets proper treatment.
Map Preview Integration
Adding map preview elements to each card for crucial location context. When someone’s looking for a service in Taguig but doesn’t know exactly where in Taguig, a small map preview on the card helps enormously. These aren’t decorative — they serve a real purpose.
Mobile-First Pagination
Designing infinite scroll and pagination systems optimized for mobile. Most users in the Philippines access these platforms on phones with variable connection speeds. Solutions that work smoothly on 3G, that don’t drain battery, that don’t break user flow.
Category Organization
Creating category systems that reflect actual service types in the Philippine market. Food delivery isn’t the same as beauty services isn’t the same as home repairs. Each category needs its own design logic, icon set, and filtering approach.
Performance & Accessibility
Building systems that load fast, work on older devices, and follow accessibility standards. You can’t design a beautiful listing system if it doesn’t work for everyone. WCAG compliance isn’t optional — it’s fundamental.
Design Philosophy
How Maria approaches every project
Understanding Before Designing
Maria doesn’t start with templates or trends. She starts with questions. How do Filipino service seekers actually search? What frustrates business owners about current systems? What devices are people using? What’s their internet speed like? These questions come before any wireframes.
This research phase is crucial. It’s the difference between designing something that looks professional and designing something that actually works. She’s conducted hundreds of user interviews across different regions, income levels, and age groups.
Inclusive Design, Not Afterthought
Accessibility isn’t a feature to add later. It’s baked into every decision from the start. Color contrast, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility — these aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re requirements. When you’re designing for a market as diverse as the Philippines, inclusion matters.
Testing with Real Users
She doesn’t assume she knows what works. She tests with actual users from the target market. Sometimes the design that looks best on her monitor performs poorly with real people. That feedback drives iteration. She’s learned that what works in Manila might need adjustment in Cebu or Davao.
“Good design for the Philippines isn’t about following international trends. It’s about understanding that a jeepney driver uses the app differently than an office worker. Both need the same system to work perfectly.”
— Maria Santos
Design Process
Research & Discovery
User interviews, market analysis, competitive research, and testing with actual Filipino service seekers and business owners.
Information Architecture
Mapping out how listings, filters, categories, and location data should be organized for maximum clarity and usability.
Wireframing & Prototyping
Low-fidelity wireframes tested with users, then moving to interactive prototypes that demonstrate real user flows.
Visual Design & Systems
Creating comprehensive design systems with components, typography, color, and spacing that scale across all devices.
User Testing & Iteration
Testing designs with real users across different regions, devices, and connection speeds. Iterating based on actual behavior, not assumptions.
Implementation Support
Working with development teams to ensure designs are implemented correctly, with detailed specifications and component documentation.
Key Projects & Impact
Measurable results from design work across Philippine markets
50,000+
Small businesses now using listing systems Maria has designed or improved
3 Major Cities
Comprehensive user research conducted across Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao regions
5+ Iterations
Complete redesigns of LocalHub’s directory system, each based on user feedback and market changes
40% Improvement
Average increase in user engagement after implementing Maria’s latest listing interface design
Recognition & Contributions
Speaking, writing, and industry involvement
Speaker: Philippine UX Conference
Presented “Designing for the Philippine Market: Beyond International Templates” — addressing how design practices need to adapt for local context, administrative systems, and user behaviors.
Published: “Card-Based Directory Design for Emerging Markets”
Detailed case study in a leading UX publication exploring design patterns, user research methodologies, and implementation strategies specific to Philippine e-commerce platforms.
Design Lead: LocalHub Directory Redesign
Led complete redesign of LocalHub’s directory system serving 40,000+ businesses. Project included comprehensive user research, new filter architecture, and mobile-first implementation.
Mentoring Program Founder
Established design mentorship program at LocalHub, helping junior designers understand marketplace design principles and user research methodologies. Program has trained 8+ designers since inception.
Featured Articles & Insights
Read Maria’s latest thinking on directory design and Philippine marketplace challenges
Case Study: Culinary Hub Manila Directory
How card-based listing design improved restaurant discovery for food seekers across Metro Manila. Design solutions that work for both casual eateries and upscale dining establishments.
Read Case Study
Case Study: FitZone Sports Complex Listings
Designing location-aware filtering for sports facilities. How barangay-level filtering and map previews help users find the nearest gym, court, or training center to their location.
Read Case Study
Case Study: Elegance Beauty Studio Discovery
Building scannable card grids for service-based businesses. Balancing imagery, service descriptions, ratings, and pricing information without overwhelming mobile users with limited screen space.
Read Case StudyExplore LocalHub Philippines
See how card-based directory design works in practice. Browse the local services platform Maria has helped build and refine over the past decade. Discover thousands of Philippine businesses organized into scannable, searchable listings.
Browse the DirectoryLearn More
Interested in design for Philippine marketplaces? Explore more resources