Former Governor Arthur D. Defensor, Sr. is one of three distinguished Ilonggos conferred with the 2024 Diamond Lifetime Achievement Award which was given during the 87th Iloilo City Charter Anniversary celebration.
Defensor Sr., now 82 years old, was recognized for his significant and lasting contribution in the field of Public Service.
The other two Diamond Lifetime Achievement Awardees were Honorato “Tatoy” Espinosa, owner of the famous Tatoy’s Manokan, in the field of Culinary Arts and businessman Edgar “Injap” Sia for Commercial Innovation, Business Development and Economic Development.
According to the Iloilo City Government’s Facebook page, the Diamond Lifetime Achievement Award is conferred to Ilonggos who gained widespread acclaim for their respective works and have made significant and lasting contributions to their fields of expertise.
This award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exemplary dedication, passion, and commitment, and whose achievements have served as an inspiration for others to follow.
Recipients of this prestigious award are honored for their remarkable accomplishments, which have positively impacted the community and brought pride and recognition to the City of Iloilo.
Prior to his election as Governor of Iloilo in 1992, Defensor Sr. served as Assemblyman in the Batasan Pambansa, Undersecretary of the Department of Education Culture and Sports and Commissioner of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).
After his first three terms as Governor, Defensor Sr. was elected as Congressman of the Third District of Iloilo in 2001, a position he also held for nine years.
In 2010, Defensor Sr. again served as Governor for another nine years until his retirement in 2019.
During his time as leader of the province, he gave top priority to reforestation, agricultural productivity programs and infrastructure development, protection and preservation of the Visayan Sea, support to education, water and sanitation services, public health and hospital enhancement, job generation, local economic development, cultural heritage conservation and tourism development, among others.
He gained numerous recognitions and awards for good governance including the Most Outstanding Governor for Social Services by the Association of Local Social Welfare and Development Officers of the Philippines, Inc. (ALSWDOPI) for three consecutive years which brought him in the Hall of Fame.
