Former Iloilo Gov. Licurgo Tirador dies at 94

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The province of Iloilo is mourning the passing of former Gov. Licurgo Tirador, who died on Feb. 18 at age 94.

In an official family announcement posted on social media by his grandson Paolo, the family said Tirador died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones.

Tirador, fondly called “Manong” or “Curging” by family and colleagues, devoted decades of his life to public service at the local, provincial, and national levels.

He served as appointed governor of Iloilo from 1986 to 1987 during the critical transition period following the end of Martial Law and the EDSA People Power Revolution, when provincial leadership played a key role in maintaining stability and continuity in governance.

From 1987 to 1998, Tirador represented Iloilo’s 3rd District in the 8th, 9th, and 10th Congresses of the Philippines, championing measures supporting public education, local infrastructure development, and programs aimed at improving the welfare of his constituents.

Earlier in his career, he served as a delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention, which drafted a new charter that took effect in 1973.

At the provincial and municipal levels, he served as a three-term board member, municipal mayor, and Sangguniang Bayan member of Pototan.

He began serving as mayor in 1998, later became Third District board member from 2004 to 2007 and again in 2010, and served as Presidential Assistant I from 2008 to 2010.

The family described him as a man of discipline, integrity, and steadfast commitment to public service, and remembered him as a patriarch whose faith, principles, and good humor defined his presence at home.

“He leaves behind a legacy that will last beyond his lifetime in the numerous scholars, beneficiaries, and friends whose lives he has generously touched,” the family statement read.

Details of the wake and funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.