Barotac Nuevo, home of illustrious people, of Iloilo’s cream of the crops. People who are gentle, gracious, and charming, Barotac Nuevo, a premier municipality in the forefront of development. A municipality with glorious yesterday and a promise of an even brighter and rosier tomorrow.

The town was founded in 1811 by the recognized leader of the place during the Spanish era, Don Simon Raymundo Protacio Belen. The name Barotac Nuevo was derived from the acronym of the Spanish word “baro,” meaning mud, and “tac,” the last syllable of the vernacular term lutac, which has the same meaning. The word “Nuevo,” which means new, was added to identify it from a town that’s 30 kilometers up north called Barotac Viejo.

According to the native lore, Barotac Nuevo during the 15th century was known far and wide with its purebred horses. And Tamasak, a white stallion, was the strongest, fastest, and handsomest horse in the locality. Tamasak was destined to be Barotac Nuevo’s symbol. How and why is an interesting story. At that time, Governor-General Manuel Gonzales de Aguilar was given a handsome horse that came from India. But there was no horse around Manila which could be used as its pair to draw the Governor-General’s carromata. De Aguilar’s men went around the islands looking for another horse until they reached the town of Dumangas in Iloilo. Malutac then was only an arrabal of Dumangas. They found Tamasak and wanted to buy the horse at any price, but Don Simon would not sell it although he was willing to give it for free provided Malutac be made a pueblo.

The men went back to Manila and informed the Governor-General of Don Simon’s request. The Governor-General agreed and immediately ordered the Governadorcillo of Iloilo to separate Barrio Malutac from the town of Dumangas and proclaim its townhood identity.