Arthur Defensor, Sr.

Arthur "Art" Doligosa Defensor Sr. (born December 25, 1941) is a Filipino politician and a statesman who served as the Governor of Iloilo from 1992 until 2001, and again from 2010 until 2019. He also served as Representative of the 3rd District of Iloilo from 2001 to 2010. He was the Majority Leader of the 14th Congress of the Philippines. He is currently a member of the PDP–Laban. He is married to Cosette Rivera Defensor. Early life and education Arthur Doligosa Defensor was born on December 25, 1941, to Santiago A. Defensor and Lourdes P. Doligosa, Both of them are public school teachers. He graduated with honors from Mina Elementary School, as well as Iloilo High School. He obtained his Associate in Arts degree from the University of the Philippines, Iloilo City in 1959 and his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City in 1963. A bemedalled orator and debater, Defensor is a recipient of various awards, among which are the Most Outstanding Alumnus in Public Service (Centennial Award) from the UP in the Visayas, and the BenignoS. Aquino, Jr. Fellowship for Professional Development. He was cited four times as the Most Distinguished Alumnus of the Iloilo National High School