Gregorio Aguilera

Gregorio Aguilera y Solis was born on November 1, 1869 to Don Gregorio Aguilera y Esguerra, a Spanish mestizo from Malate, and his first wife, Doña Maria Solis y Luz of the prosperous Solis clan of Lipa.

His early studies were conducted at the Ateneo Municipal in Intramuros where he honed his love for literary composition and the arts. There, he issued a compilation of his first poems and articles in his own handwriting to his friends and schoolmates. Vicente Ilustre and Celestino Rodriguez were one of the young literary figures of the school who collaborated with him.

As a practice during that time, the wealthy families of Lipa sent their children to study abroad. He went to Spain with his first cousin, Lauro Solis Dimayuga, and another relative, Baldomero Luz Roxas. This group of young men from Lipa became intimate friends and companions of Dr. Jose Rizal.

Gregorio finished Law in the Universidad Central de Madrid.

Gregorio was one of the most active members in the organizations founded by Rizal in Spain. He became a member and then treasurer of Asosacion Hispana-Filipina, a juror for literary contests conducted by Filipino communities in Madrid, and contributing writer of La Solidaridad under the pseudonym “Kikil”. For these, Rizal and Marcelo H. Del Pilar considered him as one of the most talented Filipinos in their days.

Upon his homecoming to the country, Gregorio married his first cousin Rosenda Solis Catigbac on December 1, 1893. Their marriage was not blessed with any children.

The uprising against Spain was already budding during his return. When Rizal died, Gregorio carried on his mission by continuing his works and establishing many philanthropic, patriotic, and cultural movements in Lipa. An active associate during the revolution, he became a member of the Malolos Congress and one of the signatories of the Malolos Constitution.

A mentor to the youth, Don Gregorio was one of the professors of Instituto Rizal where the great Teodoro Kalaw studied. Kalaw acknowledged him for the cultivation of his literary tastes and his background on culture and history. In his house was a huge library which was open for all. He was also considered a walking encyclopedia during his time.

He was called to public service and was elected as Presidente Municipal of Lipa in 1902-1903. Then he became Batangas governor, in 1904-1907, during his incumbency, he promoted agriculture and gave importance to education. He also served as the director of the local newspaper in Lipa called the Columnas Volantes de la Federacion Malaya and then took over the position of director of the town’s secondary school Instituto Rizal. Teodoro Kalaw enrolled in that school and as written in his biography, Aguilera Solis was one of his great mentors and that to him he owed his literary taste.

This great man died on January 15, 1921 due to diabetes. It was said that Don Gregorio, before his death, set all of his literary works on fire.