Teofisto T. Guingona Jr.
Senator Teofisto T. Guingona, Jr, grew up in the provinces of Lanoa, Agusan and Misamis Oriental. He studied at the Ateneo de Manila University and taught law, political science and history in the same school.
Guingona was former chairman of the Commission on Audit and the Labor Management Advisory Council for Mindanao. He also served as Governor of The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP); Director of the Mindanao Development Authority and President of the Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines. He was also a former Delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention.
Guingona served as Executive Secretary under the Ramos administration. Later, President Fidel V. Ramos appointed him Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ). He was also concurrent Chairman of the Presidential Anti - Crime Commission and acting Chairman of the dangerous Drugs Board.
He was senator for three terms : 1987-1992, 1992-1995 and 1998-2001 and served as Majority Leader (1990-1991); Minority Leader (1998-2001); and Senate President Pro Tempore (1993-1995).
He was appointed Vice-President and Secretary of Foreign Affairs in February 2001.
He was born on July 4, 1928 in San Juan, Rizal and married to the former Ruth de Lara with whom he has three children.