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In 1682 the parish of St. Anthony of Padua was proclaimed as a town (pueblo) with the increase of population to 8,900. Iriga was adapted as its name. From 1683 to 1709 records of the first capitanes or gobernadorcillos of Iriga were not available. However, it is recorded that in 1710 Don Martin Mendoza became the town’s capitan. He was suceeded by Don Bonifacion de los Angeles. The latter’s great contibution was the organization of the first 4 barrios of Iriga - San Agustin, San Isidro, San Nicolas and San Antonio Abad.
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Iraga's Hard Times
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Locust infested the barrios in 1871
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Some of the events that will never be forgotten in the minds of the early inhabitants of Iriga were some natural calamities. In 1846, during the term of Don Juan Lomaad, a great famine occured which took away many lives. The government ordered the people to plant more staple crops to counter hunger pangs of the people. Cholera epidemic broke out and caused death to Thousands of inhabitants in 1857. During the term of Don Miguel in 1863, a terrible earthquake damage the town church. In 1871, during the first year of Don Lucas Caayao’s term, epidemic of smallpox broke out and many people succumed to death.
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