The Spaniards rested in Olotayan

For 40 days in 1570, Spanish conquerors, tired from endless days and nights on rough seas, rested in Olotayan Island. From here, three missionaries set out to preach the Catholic faith while the soldiers and sailors repaired two ships for a voyage back to New Spain. 

A view of Olotayan, taken in 2015, by CGFA

Some time in May 1570, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, already settled in Panay, received a letter from Juan de la Isla, who was resting in Mariripi Island, informing him that he had already arrived from New Spain. He brought with him three new ships containing the much needed reinforcements. These ships were the San Juan, Espirtu Santo and the patache San Lucas. de la Isla asked the governor where to proceed with the ships and the governor directed them to proceed to Lutaya (present-day Olotayan), a small, uninhabited island facing the mouth of the Panay River. Of these accounts, Fray Gaspar de San Agustin, in Conquistas de las islas Filipinas 1565-1615, wrote:

“He [de la Isla] inquired where to go with the ships. The governor informed him to go to the island of Lutaya, fronting the mouth of the Panay River... Juan de la Isla reached Lutaya, and anchored in a port there, which was small and unprotected on the south and southeast. He dropped anchor with the three ships on June 23, 1570.”

On board these ships and most likely landing on the island were three missionaries from  Mexico, Fray Diego de Herrera, Fray Diego Ordonez, and Fray Diego de Espinar. Here in Olotayan, de la Isla rested and spent 40 days repairing San Juan and Espiritu Santo for a trip back to Mexico. The ships might have been loaded with indigenous finds the Spaniards obtained from the island, including 12 pimento trees, possibly obtained by Legazpi from the settlement along Panay river, and was offered as a gift to King Philip II. On July 25, 1570, Juan de la Isla sailed back to New Spain.

It is important to note that it is in Panay where Legazpi received specific orders from the Spanish king to “populate and pacify these islands for conversion of the natives” and to “divide the land and endow land grants to the most worthy conquerors”. It was also in Panay where Legazpi received the news that the king had conferred upon him the title “Adelantado of the Ladrones islands” as a reward for having taken the island in the name of the King of Spain.