Arthur Defensor Sr.

In 2016, Defensor was elevated into the Hall of Fame for winning in three consecutive years the Most Outstanding Provincial Governor of the Philippines in the field of Social Services conferred by the Association of Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines, Inc.

On June 29, 2016, he received the Kalikasan Award from the DENR "for his exemplary and dauntless commitment to champion environmental governance, protection and rehabilitation in the Province of Iloilo."

Also in 2015, the DILG also conferred the Province of Iloilo with the "Seal of Good Local Governance Award" which allowed it to access the P7-Million Performance Challenge Fund of the department. Last year (2016), the Province of Iloilo was likewise conferred with the "Seal of Good Local Governance Award" for the third time.

On October 26, 2014, he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.), honoriscausa by Central Philippine University during its 87th Commencement Exercises.

In 2013, the Government of Canada and the Presidential Commission on Women cited the Province of Iloilo as the "Most Outstanding Local Government Unit in Women Economic Empowerment Governance" because of its exemplary gender program and its effective implementation of the Gender-Responsive Economic Actions for Transformation (GREAT) Women Project that aims to promote and support microenterprises for women.

This initiative earned for the Province of Iloilo a number of recognitions. In 2011, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) awarded the Province of Iloilo the "Seal of Good Housekeeping" in recognition of its exemplary performance in governance, transparency and accountability.

Defensor also made the Province of Iloilo a consistent winner in the Annual DILG Excellence in Local Governance (EXCELL) Awards, winning major awards since 2011 and was capped by being cited as the Most Outstanding Local Government Unit, Provincial Category, in 2015.

In 2010, he returned to the Capitol to again serve the people of the Province of Iloilo as Governor under the platform of "Reform and Change" where he introduced measures that ensured transparency and honest governance.

He was the House Majority Leader of the 14th Congress (2007–2010) and Chairman of the Committee on Rules where he authored 66 bills and co-authored 121 bills. He steered into passage a number of bills considered as landmark legislation and bills of national significance and import.

In the 13th Congress (2004–2007), he was elected Senior Deputy Majority Leader and Chairman of the Committee on Good Government. He was, likewise, a member of all standing committees. This time, he authored or co-authored 130 House Bills, including the law prohibiting the imposition of the death penalty in the Philippines.

In 2001, after serving three consecutive terms as Governor of Iloilo, he ran and won a seat in the House of Representatives, representing the Third Congressional District of Iloilo. He was re-elected in 2004, and then again in 2007.

During the 12th Congress (2001–2004), he was elected Assistant Majority Leader. He also served as Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Basic Education and Culture. He authored or co-authored 110 House Bills, some of which have been enacted into law. These include the Anti-Money Laundering Law and the Overseas Absentee Voting Law.

Governor Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. is the only chief executive of the Province of Iloilo who got elected six times in the office, a manifestation of the overwhelming support of the people of his leadership. He was first elected in 1992, re-elected in 1995, and in 1998. After serving nine years as Congressman, he was again elected Governor in 2010 and re-elected in 2013 and in 2016.

The call to serve his kasimanwas was too strong for him to resist. He ran and won as Governor of the Province of Iloilo in 1992, a position he held for nine years. As chief executive, he gave top priority to reforestation, agricultural productivity programs, and infrastructure development.

In 1986, after the People Power Revolution, he was appointed by President Corazon C. Aquino as Undersecretary of the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports. In 1989, he was appointed Commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

In 1984, he ran and won as an opposition Assemblyman in the Batasan Pambansa where he proved himself to be a champion of freedom and democracy. He became a leading critic of the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, earning for him the admiration of his province mates.

A brilliant lawyer, Defensor became the first Mayor of his hometown, Mina, at the young age of 26. When martial law was declared in 1972, he chose to concentrate on his law practice, becoming one of the most sought-after lawyers in the City and Province of Iloilo.

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.

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.

Arthur Doligosa Defensor was born on December 25, 1941, to Santiago A. Defensor and Lourdes P. Doligosa, Both of them are public school teachers.