▁the ▁Spanish ▁ways . ▁The ▁Sp ani ards ▁had ▁very ▁different ▁l ifest yles , ▁belief s , ▁and ▁trad itions ▁than ▁the ▁I vat an ▁tribes . ▁They ▁didn ' t ▁understand ▁the ▁native ▁pe op les ' ▁social ▁custom s , ▁gener ous ▁nature , ▁religious ▁belief s , ▁or ▁love ▁of ▁the ▁land . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁church ▁records , ▁the ▁first ▁mass ▁and ▁bapt ism ▁in ▁the ▁islands ▁was ▁celebrated ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Im na j bu ▁in ▁U y ug an . ▁ ▁The ▁Spanish ▁mission aries , ▁finding ▁the ▁conditions ▁har sh ▁in ▁Bat anes , ▁there ▁were ▁attempts ▁to ▁res ett le ▁the ▁I vat ans ▁in ▁C ag ay an , ▁but ▁they ▁always ▁found ▁their ▁way ▁home ▁- ▁they ▁sa iled ▁back ▁to ▁Bat anes . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 8 2 , ▁Spanish ▁Governor - General ▁Jose ▁Bas co ▁y ▁V arg as ▁sent ▁an ▁expedition ▁to ▁formally ▁get ▁the ▁consent ▁of ▁the ▁I vat ans ▁to ▁become ▁subjects ▁of ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Spain . ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 7 8 3 , ▁de ▁fact o ▁I vat an ▁independence ▁was ▁lost ▁- ▁a ▁sad ▁day ▁to ▁many ▁I vat ans , ▁but ▁equally , ▁a ▁new ▁beginning ▁and ▁a ▁day ▁of ▁celebr ation ▁to ▁many ▁other ▁I vat ans . ▁On ▁that ▁day ▁( it ' s ▁called ▁Bat anes ▁Day ▁today ) ▁the ▁Spanish ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Spain ▁met ▁the ▁represent