[1] Cris comes from a political lineage, with his grandfather Mel Mathay an Assemblyman, Vice Governor of Metro Manila, and then Quezon City's Mayor, and his father Chuck Mathay as Congressman of Quezon City.
Nevertheless, he carved his own mark running in San Juan in the 2012 elections as councilor, where he finished the highest in Greenhills and Addition Hills, and finishing #2 overall in his district in San Juan.
Cris started as a Board Member of North Greenhills which is home to some of the Philippines' biggest politicians and businessmen including former Philippine President Joseph Estrada and Senator Franklin Drilon.
An alumnus of Xavier School San Juan, he pursued further studies in the University of Nebraska.
Cris attained his degree in BS-Export Economics from the De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde in 2004.