After Loney came back from Madrid to clear the matter of land and property ownership acquired by aliens like him in the Philippines, Loney put his interest in his own name and by 1866, he was referring to Hacienda Matab-ang as the property of Loney & Company (partners Mascuñana and Coscolluela).
Matab-ang became the favorite visiting place of foreign businessmen who came to Iloilo and Negros. From time to time friends of Loney – singly or in group – visited him in Iloilo and, whenever time permitted, he always took them to Matab-ang where they could not only talk business but also enjoy a short vacation. The beauty of the place never failed to impress the guests.
Matab-ang’s rapid progress was checked in 1866 by a disaster.
