atives ▁of ▁the ▁chief s ▁and ▁nobles ▁of ▁Bat anes ▁on ▁the ▁Pla ins ▁of ▁Vas ay ▁( in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Bas co ▁town ) ▁for ▁the ▁cer emon ial ▁formal ▁an nex ation ▁of ▁Bat anes ▁to ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Empire . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁province ▁was ▁named ▁Provin cia ▁de ▁la ▁Con ception . ▁Governor - General ▁Jose ▁Bas co ▁y ▁V arg as ▁was ▁named ▁" Con de ▁de ▁la ▁Con qu ista ▁de ▁Bat anes " ▁and ▁the ▁capital ▁town ▁of ▁Bas co ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁him . ▁The ▁Domin ican ▁Order ▁established ▁miss ions , ▁among ▁them ▁the ▁San ▁Jose ▁de ▁I v ana ▁mission ▁which ▁included ▁all ▁of ▁present - day ▁U y ug an ▁and ▁Sab t ang . ▁ ▁The ▁Americans ▁followed ▁the ▁Sp ani ards ▁to ▁Bat anes ▁after ▁the ▁Spanish ▁naval ▁defeat ▁at ▁Man ila ▁Bay . ▁The ▁ ▁dropped ▁anchor ▁at ▁Bas co ▁Bay ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 1 , ▁the ▁province ▁was ▁rec lass ified ▁to ▁a ▁town ship , ▁but ▁provincial ▁status ▁was ▁restored ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁and ▁with ▁it ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁U y ug an ▁as ▁a ▁separate ▁town ship ▁( m unicip ality ). ▁ ▁American ▁public ▁school ▁system ▁was ▁introduced ▁and ▁general ▁health ▁and ▁san itation ▁campaign ▁was ▁launched . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s , ▁the ▁Americans ▁built ▁a ▁better ▁road ▁system ▁that ▁replaced ▁the ▁road ▁system ▁( El