With the coming of the Americans at the turn of the century, Canoan still was regarded as a "cabecera" where lieutenant governor James Fugate, the first American governor of Siquijor, held office for sixteen years ending in 1916. In the same year, the authorities in Manila, acting on the recommendation of local authorities officially declared Canoan as a capital town. During his term which began in 1901, Governor Demetrio Larena, the first Filipino governor for Negros Oriental and Siquijor, changed the name of Canoan to Larena, his own name, which was duly approved by the Philippine legislature.