Judith Won Pat

Judi Won Pat
Speaker of the Guam Legislature
Incumbent
Assumed office March 7, 2008
Preceded by	Mark Forbes
Personal details
Born	Judith Teresita Perez Won Pat December 6, 1949 Sumay (now Santa Rita), Guam
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Melvin Borja (Deceased)
Children	Ahtoy Melvin Ana Maria
Alma mater	Montgomery College Washington Adventist University University of Guam University of San Diego
Religion	Soka Gakkai

Judith Teresita Perez Won Pat (born December 6, 1949), also known as Judi Won Pat, is a Guamanian Democratic politician. She has been speaker of the Guam Legislature since March 2008, during the 29th Guam Legislature. Won Pat is the sitting chairperson of the Committee on Education, Public Library and Women’s Affairs of the 32nd Guam Legislature.^[1]

Biographical Note

She was born as Judith Teresita Perez Won Pat on December 6, 1949, the daughter of Antonio Borja Won Pat (1908–1987) and Ana Salas Perez (1912–1995) of Sumay.

Judith Won Pat's family moved to Takoma Park, Maryland, because her father had been elected to serve as delegate to the House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. She graduated from Montgomery Blair High School. After high school, she attended Montgomery College and attained an Associate of Arts in liberal arts.

Judith Won Pat attained her Master of Education from the University of Guam.

Won Pat was married to the late Melvin B. Borja (1954–1996), and they had three children: Ahtoy, Melvin, and Ana Maria Catherine Won Pat-Borja; she also has two grandchildren Ka'isa, and Ma'ina.

Political career

Guam 1977 Constitutional Convention

Authorized by Guam Public Law 13-202, the Territory of Guam held a Guam 1977 Constitutional Convention to provide a local framework for self-government. When Judith Won Pat was 27 years old, she served as the Sinajana delegate to the Guam 1977 Constitutional Convention. Judith Won Pat served as the chairperson of the Women Rights Committee, vice chairperson of the Education Committee and also served as a member on the Gubernatorial Powers, the Municipal Government, and Natural Resources Committees, respectively. All 32 delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the Constitution on December 15, 1977.^[2]

Senator in the 23rd, 24th, 26th, 28th, and 29th Guam Legislatures

Judith Won Pat-Borja first ran to serve as senator in the 23rd Guam Legislature in 1994. She has served in the 23rd, 24th, 26th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Guam Legislatures.^[3] The 29th Guam Legislature had a bare majority of 8 Republican senators. After the passing of Republican Senator Antonio R. Unpingco, a special election was held on January 5, 2008, at which former Chief Justice Benjamin J.F. Cruz, a Democrat, was elected to fill the vacancy left by the late Senator Antonio R. Unpingco.^[3] After the special election, the Republican minority refused to allow a change in leadership to reflect its minority status. Early in the morning on March 7, 2008, the Democratic majority held session and appointed a new leadership for the Guam Legislature, with Judith T. Perez Won Pat serving as Guam's first woman speaker of the Guam Legislature.^[4] An opinion by Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco upheld the validity of legislation issued by the Guam Legislature under its new leadership.^[5]

Speaker of the Guam Legislature

Judith Won Pat has served as speaker in the 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Guam Legislatures.^[3] Speaker Won Pat is the sitting chairperson of the Committee on Education, Public Library and Women’s Affairs of the 32nd Guam Legislature.^[1]

References

1. Guam Legislature Legislative Committees. Hagatna.
2. Guam Constitutional Convention, Guam Constitutional Convention 1977, Agana, March 1979.
3. Guam Election Commission. Election Comparative Analysis Report 2012. Hagatna, 2013.
4. KUAM Won Pat upset after struggle with Tenorio. Hagatna, 7 March 2008.
5. KUAM Did AG's opinion introduce new problems for Legislature? Hagatna, 13 March 2008.