Liberation and the Incumbency of Mayor Canonero

Mayor Simeon Canonero
Vice Mayor Anacleto Amparo

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Introduction

               The Second World War ended by the signing of the Japanese surrender document aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. The whole country lay prostrate with practically all buildings down to the ground. Thousands of people were homeless and the Alimodiananons were no exception.

               There was destruction of farms, work animals, machinery, buildings, roads, bridges and more important is the loss of thousands of lives. There was no production during the first months of the liberation. The problems that confronted the government were a challenge to the statesmanship of President Sergio Osmena (pronounced as Osmenya) and to the courage and spirit of cooperation among the people. Alimodian was a no man’s land when the country was liberated. Houses were burned and demolished. When the people returned to town after peace was proclaimed, they have to live in makeshifts of bamboo and nipa just to have shelter over their heads.

                The American government had its share of the damages brought about by the war. The people were paid by the American government in the form of reparations. In addition to this payment, guerilla notes issued during the war were redeemed.

                 In order to make the government responsive to the needs of the people, the local government was reorganized in March 1945, Mayor Felix Altura, who was the mayor before the war and during the war years, came back to office until the military government appointed Simeon Cañonero ( pronounced as Canyonero) as mayor on May 15, 1946. His vice mayor was Anacleto Amparo and the councilors were Gelacio Allones, Wenceslao Anino, Teodosia Amarra, Pablo Albeza and Clara Alegrado.

                  Mayor Canonero is the municipal mayor who has served the town the longest, two years as appointed by the military authorities and three terms of four years each as elected by the people. His good deeds and accomplishments endeared him to the people who remember him as one of the best administrators the town ever had.