As time went on, the number of houses in Gahitan increased so that the sitio eventually became a barrio and finally a full-fledged town on 1 December 1875, thanks to Governor-General Jose Malcampo y Monje (1874-1877).

Malcampo incorporated the three barrios of Gahitan, Palocpoc and Anuling into one independent municipality called Méndez Núñez, after a Spanish naval officer and close friend, Commodore Casto Méndez Núñez.

Cayetano Aure, perhaps a relative of Pedro, was the first and only capitan municipal of Mendez during the First Philippine Republic (1899-1901).

Mendez and Bailen (now General Emilio Aguinaldo) were incorporated into the municipality of Alfonso.

[7] The municipality of Mendez is located 66 kilometers (41 mi) from Metro Manila and is accessible via Aguinaldo Highway.