Espiridion Guanco

Philippine Legislature

He was first elected to the Philippine Assembly as the representative of the 4th district of Iloilo from 1909 to 1912. As a member of the Philippine Assembly, he was appointed by the Speaker for the chairmanship of the irrigation committee.

Establishment of a national bank During the 1910s, farmers in Negros Occidental were alarmed by the potential delay in the establishment of a national bank. Guanco, who used to serve as president of the first agricultural congress, feared this would lead to severe financial consequences, including the withdrawal of government funds consisting of two million pesos and the cessation of credit from British banks due to World War I. To address this, the farmers sent representatives, which include Guanco, to Manila and lobby for the immediate passage of the national bank bill.

As senator Upon the establishment of the Philippine Senate in 1916, he was elected as the first representative of the 8th senatorial district composed of the Negros provinces, Antique and Palawan. In 1917, he became Secretary to the Senate President Manuel L. Quezon. He also became a member of the Senate committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Elections and Privileges, Finance, and Relations with the Sovereign Country. During this period, he served as the chamber's President pro tempore during the 5th Legislature until 1922. He served three terms until his death in office on 2 May 1925.

As a senator, Guanco advocated for the development of agriculture as a source of wealth in the Philippine Islands.

A bridge in Hinigaran was named after him. The bridge was set for demolition by the Department of Public Works and Highways in 2018.