Proud Tigbauan

The Maragtas legend tells us that after the purchase of Panay by the 10 Bornean Datus or Chieftains led by Datu Puti, it was divided among 3 ruling chieftains namely: Datu Sumakwel for Hamtic (Antique), Datu Bankaya for Aklan, Capiz and Datu Paiburong for Irong-Irong (Iloilo).
 
 Due to population increase in the Siwaragan area (located in San Joaquin, Iloilo) where the Borneans settled, families from the tribes of Labing-irog and Mangwalis decided to migrate elsewhere for greener Pasteur. Following the course of the rising sun, they landed in the place which they immediately called “Katigbawan” because of the luxuriant growth of species of giant grasses or tall weeds known to them as “Tigbaw”. The Maragtas Legend identified Katigbawan (field of weeds) as an area bounded in the southwest by a big creek ( now known as Buyu-an creek) and in the northwest by the confluence of two (2) rivers now known as the Tacuyong and Sibalom Rivers. 
 
 In the year 1575 Spaniards from the La Villa Rica de Arevalo (administrative center) established the “Pueblo de Tigbauan”, which was later on shortened to its present name, Tigbauan. Then they transferred the Poblacion of the “Pueblo De Tigbauan” from Parara ( referred as “Da-anbanwa” by the elders) which later on became an “Encomienda” (land grant) of the King of Spain given to Don Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa.
 
 The Christianization of Tigbauan in 1575 with the “fundacion civil”, with regular visits, by the priest from Oton. However, its “fundacion ecclesiastica” was officially declared in 1580, with Tigbauan becoming a separate and district “Paroquia”. 
 
 According to the book, “The Jesuits in the Philippines” by the late historian and writer Fr. Horacio de la Costa, S.J., during the Jesuit interregnum, the first Jesuit boarding school for boys in the Philippines was established in Tigbauan in 1592 by Fr. Pedro Chirino who later on became a well-known Jesuit historian.

 Improvement of roads and public projects started in 1870 under the leadership of Capitan Serapio Teruel. The uprising in Tigbauan against the Spanish rule was led by Rafael “Awa” Tonongbanua, then Capital del Pueblo in 1897-1898. At the turn of the century, the American appointed Aguido Teruel as the town executive, followed by Constantino Benedicto Gonzales who was appointed the first “president”. Succeeding him was Domingo Trompeta Sr. as a result of the rapid political changes in the country and the first stirring for independence, Gil Rivas was elected as the first Tigbauan Mayor in 1945 under the Commonwealth Government.
 
  During World War II, Tigbauan had its share of tragedy and devastations of structures and death of civilians and the unsung heroes of World War II. Tigbauan was later on chosen by the U.S. Army High Command as the landing site for the U.S. 40th Infantry Division on March 18, 1945. It was the first town in Panay to be liberated from the clutches of the Japanese. The U.S. Army landed at Parara Beach where the descendants of the Bornean Datus landed sometime in the 13 century. After the Liberation of Tigbauan, civil government was restored. Jose Torrefranca, Sr. was appointed Mayor from 1946 to 1947. Succeeded by Gregorio Tuvilla who was elected as Mayor in 1948. Further improvements were done during the early 1960 where Eugenio Torrento became the Mayor followed by Bonifacio M. Trivilegio and Celso T. Ledesma in 1992 and was re-elected in May 1995. In 1998, Myrna M. Torres was elected as the first lady Mayor known to be a woman of Vision, proposed for the revival of the hand loom weaving industry for our women who are in this line of interest.
 
 Tigbauan also became the home of the first Fishery Educational Center in the Philippines as well as the Regional Fishery Research Institution, South East Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). One of the earliest Electric Cooperative established in the Philippines was also established here in Tigbauan, the Iloilo Electric Cooperative I (ILECO I) and also became the site of the Sibalum River Irrigation System Project by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
 
 Today, Tigbauan has its 12th Mayor, SUZETTE T. ALQUISADA who is sincere in molding Tigbauan into business friendly, progressive, peaceful and environmentally sustaining community.
 
 Tigbauanon, since the Spanish colonization and even now are peace-loving and industrious. The men were farmers, fishermen and hunter. Wild fauna fish and other marine life were plentiful. The women who were said to be dependent of their husband are now doing its share in giving their children a bright future.