A Generic Spanish Conquistador Tigbauan, Iloilo history and heritage. Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa was a key figure in Tigbauan’s history, a Spanish “conquistador” who was awarded huge land holdings called encomiendas, for his services to the Spanish governors of the Philippines. One of these included Tigbauan De Figueroa was born of Portuguese parents in North Africa.  Eventually he made his way to the Spanish colony of Mexico.  He came to the Philippines as a penniless young adventurer as part of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi’s 1565 expedition to plant Spanish colonies in the Philippines.  Legazpi’s fleet of four ships contained three hundred and sixty five conquistadores — sailors, soldiers, officials and Augustinian priests. After a stop in Guam, the fleet landed in Cebu on February 15, 1565 and established a colony there. …