National Historical Commission Plaque – Tigbauan, Iloilo Tigbauan history and heritage. While the Augustinian order was assigned general responsibility for Panay and Tigbauan in the 16th century, Rodriguez de Figueroa requested Jesuit, not Augustinian missionaries to minister to the residents of his extensive land holdings in Panay.  His holdings were an “encomienda”, a grant from the Spanish crown.  De Figueroa had the right to demand tribute and labor from the 2,800 inhabitants, but had the obligation to see to their spiritual needs. De Figueroa was a very powerful figure in Manila and an early patron of the Jesuits. He was also a key figure in Tigbauan’s history.  He 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.  He rose in the ranks as he successfully carried out missions assigned to him by the Spanish authorities, including expeditions to bring the Moros under Spanish control. De Figueroa’s Panay encomienda was called Tigbauan (”field of reeds”) from its principal…