José Basco y Vargas, 1st Count of the Conquest of Batanes Islands

José Basco y Vargas, 1st Count of the Conquest of Batanes Islands (Spanish: José Basco y Vargas, primer conde de la conquista de las islas Batanes (1733–1805) was a naval officer who served as the 53rd governor of the Philippines under Spanish colonial rule, from 1778 to 1787. He was the most economic minded governor-general.

Governor General of the Philippines

He established the Sociedad Económica de los Amigos del País, or the Economic Society of Friends of the Country, which revived the tobacco industry in the Philippines. He established the bases for the takeoff of the agriculture of Philippine export with a tolerance policy towards the activity in illegal theory of the foreign retailers, mainly English and North American who went to Manila to complete their product shipments. He also made the colony independent, by freeing it from the control of New Spain, which is today Mexico. In 1782, Basco sent an expedition to undertake the formalities of acquiring the consent of the Ivatans to become subjects of the king of Spain. On June 26, 1783, Joseph Huelva y Melgarjo became the first governor of Batanes. The new province was named Provincia de la Concepcion and Governor General Basco was named “Conde de la Conquista de Batanes” and the capital town was named after him.^[1] By January 21, 1789, King Carlos III granted in prize to his numerous services the title of Count of Conquista of the Islands Fulling Mills; grace to which he added to the appointments of Squad leader and Governor of Cartagena.^[2] Basco was replaced by Pedro de Sarrio on November 22, 1787.

Legacy

In recognition for his deeds, the town of Basco, in the Philippine province of Batanes group of islands, was named after him.

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