Alimodian Firsts: Gregorio Alvior

President Gregorio Alvior (1873 - 1980)

First President of Alimodian

       Gregorio Alvior Y Tolentino was the first president of Alimodian after its separation from Leon. He was sworn into office on January 1, 1919. As the town head for many years, he did much for the progress of his town. He encouraged the people to plant bananas so that they could have food when staple crops failed. He also required the people to have galvanized iron roofs to prevent the havoc wrought by fires which caused damage in previous years. 

        Gregorio Tolentino Alvior, popularly known as “Goyo,” was born in 1873 (month and day unknown) in the corner of the present Alvior and Plaza Libertad Streets.  He was the eldest of the four children of Timoteo Alvior and Julia Tolentino. His brother's name is Martin while his other sisters were Daprosa Alvior Amarillo and Claudia Alvior Amantillo. 

        Goyo learned his cartilla lessons from his mother.  His parents wanted him to become a priest so he was sent to the Jaro Seminary.  Their dream ended when he chose instead to marry Sofia Velez, from Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

        His father, Don Timoteo, was the gobernadorcillo of Iloilo when the first concerted insurrection against the Spanish government took place on October 31, 1898.  Don Pedro Torres, a Tagalog and identified with the Magdalo faction of the revolution, led about 400 Tagalog-speaking and local revolucionarios in an assault of the church convent and the takeover of the municipal government.

       Despite being the capitan interno and leader of the voluntarios, Don Timoteo did not resist the assault and the leaders of the revolutionaries included his son Goyo.  Later, along with Tomas Algallar and Gelacio Tabiana, Don Goyo represented Alimodian at the proclamation of the revolutionary government led by Martin Delgado, the estado mayor, in Sta. Barbara in November 1898.

       On April 4, 1903 the municipalities of Alimodian and San Miguel were merged and became the arrabales of the municipality of Leon, where the seat of government was located, with Don Evaristo Capalla as municipal president and Solomon Algallar of Alimodian as concejal inspector.

       In 1908 Don Goyo was appointed secretary in the administration of Don Nicolas Cambronero, the municipal president, and Sixto Tabiana, the vice president.

       For all the good deeds that he did for his town, he was considered the father of his community.