The town of Zarraga was founded in 1853. It was named “Zarraga” in honor of Pedro Zarraga, who was then the “Alcalde Mayor” of IrongIrong (now Iloilo City).

The first gobernadorcillo (now town mayor) was Marcelino Poblador, the grandfather of the Late General Perfecto Poblador who was one of the foremost heroes of the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards and the Americans.

Gobernadorcillo Marcelino Poblador served for eight terms and was followed by his Sons Pedro Poblador (Father of General Perfecto Poblador) and his brother, Zacarias Poblador. Later, the title of Gobernadorcillo was changed to Capitan Municipal sometimes in 1894. Political leadership was controlled by the Pobladors’ because they owned most of the land of the town.

Barangays at that time were called “Puro or Purok” and named upon a notable person residing in the said place. The Barangay Captain then was called “Teniente” or “Tenientila”.

When the American came sometimes in 1900, Calixto Gustilo became Presidente Municipal of the town. The Gustilos’ were the descendant of Mariano Gustilo, an encomiendero from Spain. It was the result of the union of the Pobladors’ and the Gustilos’ that after the Pobladors’ step down from being a Capitan Municipal, it was the Gustilos’ that followed suit.

When the Americans established the Civil Government sometime in 1900, Zarraga was made part of town of Sta. Barbara much to the disgust and chagrin of Zarraganhons. This was also the time that Land Torrens Title System was implemented. It was in this time also that “Puro” was renamed to “Barrio”.

Sometime in May 1940, the late President Manuel L. Quezon issued Executive Order No. 295 restoring the municipal status of Zarraga. Foremost and instrumental of making Zarraga regains its municipal status was Emilio Gregorius, who was appointed then as its Municipal Mayor.

The joy of its people in making Zarraga a town again was short-lived. In April of 1941, the Japanese Imperial Army landed in Trapeche, Oton and later occupied the town, The Japanese appointed Emilio Soubiron as Municipal Mayor during their occupation of the town. The Japanese installed their own man to run the town in the name of “Baclay”, a Japanese-American descent and a close friend of the late Macario Sonota, Sr. “Baclay” was shot dead by a local guerrilla and his death was blamed to the Dumangasanons, which suffered most of the vengeance of the Japanese Army. Many Dumangasanon suffered tortures and deaths because of this incident. Witnesses told that “Baclay” knew of his assailant who was a Zarraganhon, but because he learned to like the people and the place, he instead lied to the Japanese Army that it was a Dumangasanon who shot him. After the liberation of the town from the Japanese Occupation Forces, Emiliano Lacson, Sr. was appointed Municipal Mayor.

The passage of “Ganzon’ s Law” paved the way for the election of municipal officials, The first elected mayor was the late Porferio Pinuela who served for three (3) consecutive terms serving for a total of Twelve (12) years. In the following election, he was defeated by Jovito Arimas who is married to a member of the Gustilo’s family. The term of office of Mayor Jovito Arimas was short-lived because he was gunned down in Iloilo City. Emiliano Lacson, Sr., his Vice-Mayor then, succeeded him as the new municipal mayor. In the following election, Dr. Delfin Silveo, Jr., a youthful and cheerful doctor of medicine and a grandson of the former Vice-Mayor Macario Sonota, Sr., was elected mayor. When the deposed President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law in September 21, 1971, no election was held and Mayor Delfin Silveo, Jr. continued to serve as its Municipal Mayor. A snap election was held in 1986 and Mayor Delfin Silveo, Jr. was again re-elected as its municipal mayor.

During the 1988 national and local elections, Mayor Orlando Lacson was elected Mayor. Again, he was re-elected Mayor in the 1991 local election. He suffered a stroke that forced him to catch short his second term of office. Vice-Mayor Andres Tarrosa assumed the mayorship of this town. In the following election, Mayor Delfin Silveo, Jr. was again re-elected as Mayor and his term ended in 2004. Mayor Gregorio S. Brazas was then elected as mayor for three (3) full terms (2004 – 2013). He was succeeded by Vice-mayor John H. Tarrosa who won as mayor in May 2013 election.