José Basco y Vargas

José Basco
53rd Governor-General of the Philippines
In office July 1778 – November 1787
Monarch	Charles III of Spain
Preceded by	Pedro de Sarrio
Succeeded by	Pedro de Sarrio
Personal details
Born	José Basco y Vargas c. 1733 Málaga, Granada, Spain
Died	1805 (aged 71–72) Philippines
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Spain
Rank

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 of the Spanish navy who served as the 53rd governor of the Philippines under the Spanish Empire, from 1778 to 1787. He was one of the most economic minded governor-generals that served in Spanish ruled Philippines.

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, theoretically illegal, activity 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 part of Mexico and other Pacific Islands including Philippines.

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, Basco, was named after him. By January 21, 1789, King Carlos III granted in prize to his numerous services the title of Count of Conquista of the Batanes Islands; grace to which he added to the appointments of Squad leader and Governor of Cartagena. Basco was replaced by Pedro de Sarrio on November 22, 1787.

References

Preceded by Pedro de Sarrio

Spanish Governor - Captain General of the Philippines 1778–1787

Succeeded by Pedro de Sarrio