political_party: Popular Democratic Party

Biography

Héctor Enrique Ferrer Santiago was born on September 23, 1994, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is the oldest of three siblings. He is the son of Sonia Marie Santiago González, who worked as a teacher in Puerto Rico’s public school system, and the late Héctor J. Ferrer Ríos, who served as Representative for District 29 of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from 2000 to 2004, then as Representative at Large from 2004 to 2012, and twice as President of the Popular Democratic Party.

Ferrer Santiago is a lawyer and legislator committed to public service and defending the rights of his community. With a solid legal background and a deep sense of responsibility, he has dedicated his career to creating public policies that promote justice, economic development, and social well-being.

He completed his elementary and middle school studies at Colegio Marista in Manatí. He initially attended Cupeyville School in San Juan and later at Boulder Creek High School in New River, Arizona. After graduating, he enrolled at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. As part of his academic development, he participated in the Córdova-Fernós legislative internship program in 2014, where he had the opportunity to work with Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand. He also took courses on international human rights at Georgetown University.

While pursuing his Juris Doctor studies at the Interamerican University School of Law, he provided assistance and support to other students in the Administrative Law course. He also served as a Legal Officer at the San Juan Court of First Instance under the direction of Judge Ángel Pagán. In 2018, he completed his Juris Doctor degree and was admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in February 2019. He then worked as a litigator until the end of 2020. In the November 2020 general elections, he was elected for the first time as Representative at Large, achieving the highest number of votes between both legislative bodies. In the 2024 elections, he was again elected to the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as Representative at Large. He currently serves as Spokesperson for the Popular Democratic Party Delegation.

His vocation for service is part of a family legacy of leadership and commitment to the people. Following in the footsteps of his father, uncle, and great-grandfather, who also held legislative seats, he has taken on the challenge of representing his generation with integrity, vision, and a firm commitment to transparency and accountability. As a legislator, he has distinguished himself for his capacity for dialogue and his focus on innovative solutions to current challenges. His work has focused on strengthening access to justice, combating corruption, modernizing public institutions, and fostering sustainable and inclusive economic development.

His career reflects a combination of youth and preparation, with a determination to honor the trust placed in him by his constituents and to contribute to the progress of his country through responsible and effective legislative practice. During his college years, Ferrer Santiago practiced surfing and baseball. He also enjoys visiting the beach and spending time with his family.

BIOGRAPHY

He was born on February 24, 1971, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Physical Education at the Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR). He has belonged to several service institutions, including the Isabela Center for Help for Children with Disabilities, the Isabela Basketball League, Little League Baseball, the Lions Club, and for the past four years, he served as president of the Municipal Legislature of the Municipality of Isabela.

He always had a desire to serve his people and his country, and for that reason he aspired to the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, for District 16, which includes the towns of San Sebastián, Isabela, and the Guerrero neighborhood of Aguadilla.

Biography

Representative Ángel Fourquet Cordero has distinguished himself for his commitment to transparency, economic development, and the defense of citizen and community rights. Elected in 2020 to represent District 24, which includes the city of Ponce, he has worked to ensure that resources reach communities efficiently and fairly, with a focus on the oversight of public funds, access to housing, the reconstruction of the south, and the stability of the energy system.

Since joining the legislature, his work has been key in the House of Representatives, establishing himself as an oversight and defender of efficient government management. In his first four-year term, he chaired the Housing and Urban Development, Public Funds Oversight, and the Southwest Regional Development Commission, promoting concrete solutions to the homeownership crisis and the proper distribution of funds for the recovery of the southern region.

In 2024, the people of Ponce reaffirmed their confidence in his work by electing him for a second term in the legislature. In this new phase, he has been appointed spokesperson for the Popular Democratic Party Delegation on the Government Commission, one of the most influential in the Chamber, where fundamental issues for public administration and governmental structure are discussed. From this commission, he will promote the oversight of the energy system, efficiency in the provision of essential services, the restructuring of agencies to make them more agile and accessible, the modernization of administrative processes, and the oversight of compliance with public policies that directly impact citizens.

Additionally, he serves as a spokesperson for the Committee on Senior Citizens and Social Welfare and the Joint Committee for the Review and Implementation of Administrative Regulations, where he will continue to promote policies that protect the aging population and streamline administrative processes in government. His focus on these committees is to ensure that resources allocated to these sectors are used effectively and that government programs are accessible to those who need them most.

His academic and professional training have been fundamental to his management skills. He graduated magna cum laude from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico (PUCPR) with a Juris Doctor in 2011, earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration in 2020, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Prior to his legislative role, he worked as an attorney and legal advisor at the state and municipal levels, specializing in administrative, labor, and urban development matters.

Biography

Representative Domingo J. Torres García was born on September 23, 1982, he is a native of Belén, Puerto Rico, Juana Díaz and his parents are Mrs. Yolanda García Figueroa and Mr. Domingo Torres Cruz.

Domingo attended public schools in his hometown of Puerto Rico for his primary and secondary education. Upon completing secondary school, he began university studies at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce. There, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. To strengthen his educational and professional experiences, he took several courses and workshops, including “Peachtree” Computerized Accounting, Accounting for Municipalities of Puerto Rico, and Government and Public Administration, the latter at the José Ortega y Gasset – Gregorio Marañón Foundation in Toledo, Spain. Torres García also completed graduate studies at his alma mater in Ponce, earning a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources and a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology.

Highlighting his professional career, Representative Torres García has over 15 years of experience serving as an Administrator in a corporation and as an Accountant in a family firm. He also served as Accounting Supervisor in the Finance Department of the Municipality of Juana Díaz. He also worked as Director of Administrative Services and Internal Revenue and as Director of Federal Programs and Housing Coordinator in the Municipality of Juana Díaz.

Furthermore, as a young leader, he has distinguished himself as a member of several organizations, including the Statistics Coordination Committee of the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute, the Local Board – Municipal Alliance for Economic Development, and the Commercial Local Board of the Municipality of Juana Díaz. He is also a member of the National Society of Human Resources (SHRM) and served as President of the Auction Board of the Autonomous Municipality of Juana Díaz.

Furthermore, the Representative for District 25 (Ponce – Jayuya – Juana Díaz) is characterized as a creative young man with initiative, a strong sense of responsibility, and an ability to work as a team player. During the past four years, he served as President of the Committee on Labor Affairs and the Transformation of the Pension System for a Dignified Retirement of the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. He currently serves as Alternate Spokesperson for the Popular Democratic Party in the House of Representatives.

Biography

Edgardo Feliciano Sánchez was born on January 30, 1976, in the municipality of Bayamón. From a young age, he excelled academically in the country’s public education system, studying at the Teodomiro Taboas and Fernando Callejo schools in the municipality of Manatí. At 18, he moved to Vega Baja, which has been his home for the past 32 years and where he has distinguished himself as a community leader.

He enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo Campus, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management, and later earned a Master’s degree in Human Resources from the Interamerican University, Metropolitan Campus.

From a very young age, he was interested in public service and adopted service as his philosophy of life.

Throughout his career in public service, he has worked in the Municipality of Vega Baja, the Department of Education, and the Department of Natural Resources, where he has distinguished himself for his service and expertise.

He was reelected as Representative for District 12 and appointed as spokesperson for the Natural Resources, Northern Region, and Joint Commissions on Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience. His commitment has been to serve as a unifying force, advancing cutting-edge legislation alongside his colleagues. His legislative agenda has focused on social justice, labor justice, and combating the problems that climate change has caused on our island.

Biography

Roberto Rivera Ruiz de Porras was born in Ponce on October 28, 1950. Son of Asela Ruiz de Porras and Julio Rivera, he is the only male of the marriage that produced 3 children. He completed his elementary and higher education at Colegio San Juan Bosco on the Cantera Peninsula and his university studies at the University of Puerto Rico and Caribbean University College. The legislator earned a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management. For 29 years, he worked in local banking. The legislator has been married to María del Carmen Fuentes for 48 years. He has two daughters who are already professionals, Marisela and Melisa, and his 15-year-old grandson Osvaldo.

Due to his strong sense of commitment to Puerto Rico, he entered the political sphere as a Municipal Legislator in the Autonomous Municipality of Carolina, a position he held from 1989 to 2000 (12 years). From Municipal Legislator, he went on to serve as House Representative for District 40 of Carolina and Trujillo Alto for the Popular Democratic Party, a position he swore in to in January 2001. During that four-year term, he served as Chairman of the Banking, Insurance and Financial Affairs Committee and served on various committees.

In 2004, he was re-elected to the House of Representatives for District 39 following redistricting. He again obtained favorable results in the 2008 elections, serving as Minority Spokesperson on the Committees on Municipal Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Internal Affairs, and as a member of the Committees on Finance, Government, and Labor and Labor Relations.

After twelve years as a legislator, he ran again in the 2012 general elections, obtaining the highest number of votes for a District Representative. He was elected by his colleagues in his delegation as Vice President of the Legislative Body. He was an ex-officio member of all the committees. From September to December 31, 2016, he served as Acting President, achieving a seamless transition. Thus complying with all legal requirements.

He revalidated in the November 2016 elections, where he stood out by obtaining the largest number of votes among the PPD delegation. He served as Minority Spokesperson on the Municipal Affairs, Northeast Region, and Internal Affairs Committees. He was also a member of the Public Safety, Cooperativism, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committees.

In these November 2020 elections, he again obtained the support of his constituents for a sixth term as Representative of District 39, Carolina – Trujillo Alto. He is currently Alternate Spokesperson and Chairman of the Majority Committee on Internal Affairs. He is an ex-officio member of all committees.

During his tenure, the legislator has demonstrated his professional and human qualities and his commitment to working hard for his people. He has allocated funds for the construction of police stations, the rehabilitation of recreational facilities, and the remodeling of schools in various communities, among many other projects. One of his most important projects was the rehabilitation of the Esc. Roberto Clemente Walker from Carolina. He is a Public Servant who has worked for the benefit of the people and the communities he represents.

At the legislative level, he has introduced cutting-edge legislative measures aimed at directly protecting our families. Approved laws: Law 71-2002, Law 17-2003, Law 316-2003, Law 399-2004, Law 47-2006, Law 252-2008, Law 83-2013, Law 9-2014, Law 97-2014, Law 245-2014, Law 179-2016, Law 202-2018 and Law 143-2020.

He has received numerous recognitions and awards for his work benefiting our society. Among his accolades are the Jesús T. Piñero Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. He has also received awards from organizations such as the Puerto Rican League Against Cancer, the United Retail Center, Hogar CREA Inc., the Villa Carolina Recreational and Residents Association, and Legislator of the Year, among others.