HISTORY OF ROXAS CITY

Capiz became the second Spanish settlement after Cebu when Captain Diego de Artienda, sent by Legaspi landed in the
town of Pan-ay and proclaimed it the capital of the province. The capital was then moved to the present location of Roxas
City.

Folk history recorded in the Maragtas by Pedro Monteclaro says ten Bornean datus landed at
a site now known as San Joaquin town in Iloilo province. They purchased Panay Island from
the Aeta, cultivated the land, and renamed the island Madya-as. They divided it into three
communities: Irong-irong, Akean (which includes the Capiz area), and Hamtik.

It is said that in Capiz in 1570, the Datu Bankaya’s wife of the Aklan district gave birth to twin
daughters. Twin is "Kapid" in the local dialect, so the Spaniards adopted the name Capiz
(Kapid) as inadvertently miscommunicated to them by the natives.
Capiz, which was part of Aklan in pre-Spanish times, was one of the early settlements of the
Malays, centuries before the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines. It was part of the
Confederation of Madjaas, formed after the purchase of Panay by the Bornean datus from the Negrito king named Marikudo.

When the Spaniards led by Miguel López de Legazpi came to Panay from Cebu in 1569, they found people with tattoos, and
so they called it Isla de los Pintados. How the island itself came to be called Panay is uncertain. The Aeta called it Aninipay,
after a plant that abounded in the island. Legend has it that López de Legazpi and his men, in search of food, exclaimed
upon the island, pan hay en esta isla!. So they established their first settlement in the island at the mouth of the Banica River
in Capiz and called it Pan-ay. This was the second Spanish settlement in the Philippines, the first being San Miguel, Cebu.

In the same year of 1569 Captain ('Capitan') Diego de Artieda who was sent by Legaspi landed in the Town of Panay and
proclaimed it as the capital of the province. Later, they moved the Capital to its present site upon discovering the town of
Capiz (not the province, and now Roxas City) which was near the sea and provided docking facilities.

In 1942, the region was occupied by the Japanese troops. In 1945, the region was liberated by the joint Filipino and
American troops with Filipino guerrillas from the defeated Japanese Imperial forces during Second World War.

Capiz and Aklan were united under one province until April 25, 1956, when President Ramon Magsaysay signed into law
Republic Act 1414 separating the two entities.

Spanish colonial period

In 1569, Captain Diego de Artieda, who was sent by Miguel López de Legazpi from Cebu,
landed on the shores of the town of Panay and proclaimed it as the area's capital. Later, the
capital was moved to its present site upon realising that the town of Capiz was nearer to the sea
and possessed better ground for docking facities. The Spaniards saw the long coastal cover and
envisioned a trading and shipping center. Ports were subsequently built in Libas and Culasi.
The Panay River divided the original settlement in two, and had tributaries from the mountains
that flowed through communities that sprang up along its shores. The river provided irrigation
and gradually fertilized the land, and during high tide, it provided water to the lowlands than
became a private and commercial fishponds that exist to this day.
In 1590, the Spanish navy coming from Acapulco, Viceroyalty of Mexico made the port of Capiz
its naval yard where ships sought shelter when the sea was rough. Capiz grew into a bustling port
and houses of stone were built. The social and political status enjoyed by indigenous rulers of
Capiz often resulted in mixed marriages with colonial Spaniards. Their mestizo descendants
became the base of the town's set of Principalía, the colony's noble or patrician class. Their
privileged status enabled them to build houses near the población, the downtown area whose
focal points was the plaza, the local chapel along Burgos Street, and the government complex.
Their children became the beneficiaries of the Augustinian mission in 1593. In 1746, Capiz was
made the seat of the politico-military government separating from the clutches of Iloilo is almost
200 years , although it was ecclesiastically controlled by the Bishopric of Cebu. In the latter part
of 1795, under Gobernadorcillo Miguel Bautista, the old road to Baybay was built as an
extension of calle San Roque.
The town was frequently attacked by Muslims that in 1814, stone forts at Baybay Beach
(Baluarte) were built through the initiative of Gobernadorcillo José Consolación.
In 1870, ground was broken for the construction of Capiz Cathedral under the guidance of
Reverend Apolonio Alvarez. It was built by sturdy hands, sweat and blood of Capizeños, who
were pressed into its building by the polo y servicios (forced labour) system. In 1876,
the Diocese of Jaro in Iloilo was erected, and Capiz came under its jurisdiction. In 1877, the
cathedral was finally finished.
During the Philippine Revolution, the Spanish colonial government capitulated in August 1899,
when Governor Juan Herrero formally surrendered to General Ananias Diokno along Baybay
area.
American colonial period
After 300 years under Spanish rule, the Philippine Islands came under the sovereignty of the
United States of America. By the early 1900s, Protestant missionaries arrived in the Islands,
which the various denominations subsequently agreed to divide into mission territories. Western
Visayas went to the American Baptists; Baptist institutions such as Filamer Christian
University, Central Philippine University, Capiz Emmanuel Hospital were later established. In
August 1904, Rev. and Mrs. Joseph Robbins were entrusted with care of three little children.
This situation of neglected homeless children touched their hearts which led to the establishment
of Capiz Home School, with the first building being a gift from the American Baptist Foreign
Mission Society. The Capiz Home School was later renamed Filamer Christian University,
"Filamer" being a portmanteau of "Filipino" and "American".
In 1914, an economic debacle hit the town of Capiz when the Ayala Distillery abruptly stopped
operations. What could have been an ambitious forerunner of nationalized industrialization
became the victim of the Internal Revenue Law under American control.
In 1917, Division Superintendent of Schools F.E. Hemingway founded Capiz Trade School for
intermediate pupils. The institution offered woodworking as the only vocational course. The next
division superintendent opened Capiz High School.
In 1926, Division Superintendent Arthur Wittman authorized teaching of complete secondary
curriculum in the Capiz Trade School. In the same year, Culasi Port was built to accommodate
inter-island ships.
Third Philippine Republic
On February 15, 1951, the Diocese of Capiz became a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction from
Jaro. Its first bishop was Msgr. Manuel Yap. In the same year, Vice Mayor Libertad Conlu
became the city's first female Mayor.
Capiz became a chartered city on May 12, 1951 through House Bill 1528, sponsored by Ramón
Acuña Arnaldo, the Representative of the First District of Capiz. It was approved by
President Elpidio Quirino, Roxas' successor, on April 11, 1951 as Republic Act 603.
[11]
 Consequently, the town was renamed Roxas City after the late Manuel Roxas, the final
President of the Commonwealth and the first President of the Third Republic.
The city's first appointed Mayor was Lorenzo Acuña Arnaldo, followed by Ramón Berjamin
Blanco, José Dorado, and Juliano Alovera Alba. In 1959, Arnaldo became the city's first elected
head. He was succeeded by Teodoro Roxas Arcenas, who himself was succeeded by Juliano
Alovera Alba. Alba was also the Representative of the First District of Capiz when
President Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial Law nationwide on September 21, 1972.
Antonio A. del Rosario, the incumbent Representative of the First District of Capiz, was elected
to three terms as Mayor, serving from 1998 to 2007. Vicente B. Bermejo, the former governor of
the Province of Capiz, was elected Mayor and served from 2007 to 2010.
Roxas City's current mayor is Ronnie T. Dadivas.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN ROXAS CITY

 ANG PANUBLION
Ang Panubli-On (Roxas City Museum)  originally built in 1910 as
a water tank; it now stands as a museum. It has memorabilia of
 illustrious sons and daughters of Roxas City; collections of religious icons, artifacts and
artworks.

 MANUEL ROXAS SHRINE

When Capiz town became a city in 1951, it was renamed Roxas after its
greatest son, President Manuel Acuña Roxas. The city sits at the base
of mangrove forests and aquaculture ponds that fan out to the sea,
supplying an abundance of marine life that make it the self-proclaimed
“Seafood Capital of the Philippines”. It’s also called the “Venice of the
Visayas” after the Panay River that cuts through the town center
surrounded by some colonial structures.

 BAYBAY BEACH

For tourists who are looking for a clean, black sand beach,
Baybay Beach is the answer to their quest. It is located 3 kms
from Roxas City, and is a place where you can find motorboats,
beach houses, and fishing activities. Tourists can engage in
various water sports, such as water skiing and skim boarding.
Swimming and basking in the sun are perfect activities for people
who would rather relax and have a peaceful day.

 Our Lady Of The Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral

The Roxas City Metropolitan Cathedral built in 1877;

reconstructed in 1954 is one of the oldest in Panay Island.  The
church is a silent witness to the events that has unfolded in the
city over the past centuries. Its imposing view is being
complemented by its location which is beside the city plaza
fronting the Panay River and the old (now Roxas City Bridge). 
Fiesta lights add glitter to the church. A visit to this city would
not be complete without hearing mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, just a few steps
from the provincial capitol. The church originally built in the 16th century seemed
ordinary on one look and do not resemble any feature of churches built during the
Spanish era. This can be attributed to the fact that the church suffered the same fate as
other religious buildings built by the Spaniards. It has gone several renovations after
being destroyed by a typhoon in 1698 and heavily damaged by an earthquake on 1787.
The current structure, painted in earth colors was rebuilt in 1954 has a post-American
look.
 SACRED HEART OF JESUS (ROXAS CITY, PUEBLO DE PANAY)

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a giant statue of Jesus

Christ in Roxas, Capiz in the Philippines. The 132-foot (40 m)
monument, said to be the tallest of its kind in the Philippines,
was built in 2015 within the Pueblo de Panay mixed-use
development.
Occupying a hilltop location about 1.5km from the bus terminal
is this enormous new statue of Jesus. The builders claim it's
132ft tall, but this is highly debatable! Originally the hands
were supposed to be outstretched in welcome, but the sculptor made them vertical for technical
reasons, creating an "I surrender" look. You can climb inside to the top. The site offers great
views of the region, including the many fishponds that go unseen at sea level.

GEOGRAPHICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MUNICIPALITY

 LAND AREA
Roxas , formerly known as Capiz, is a coastal component city in the province of Capiz. It
serves as the provincial capital. The city has a land area of 95.07 square kilometers or 36.71
square miles which constitutes 3.66% of Capiz's total area. Its population as determined by
the 2015 Census was 167,003.
 LOCATION
Roxas City is situated just east of the north-central coast of Panay Island with geographic
coordinates of 11°35' N, 122°45' E. Its boundaries are: the Sibuyan Sea to the north, the
municipality of Panitan to the south, the municipality of Ivisan to the west, and the
municipality of Panay to the east. It is located 116 kilometres (72 mi) north of Iloilo City, 86
kilometres (53 mi) from Kalibo, 213 kilometres (132 mi) from San Jose de Buenavista and
250 nautical miles (460 km) southeast of Manila. Travel time from/to Iloilo City takes 2
hours by land, while travel time from/to Manila is 50 minutes by air and 18 hours by sea.

 POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
The City of Roxas is politically subdivided into 47 barangays of which 31 are urban and 16
are rural. It is classified as a second Class Component City belonging to the first legislative
district of the Province of Capiz along with the Municipality
of Maayon, Panay, Panitan, Pilar, Pontevedra, and President Roxas. These are the barangays
included: Adlawan, Bago, Balijuagan, Banica, Barangay 1, Barangay 2, Barangay 3, Barangay 4,
Barangay 5, Barangay 6, Barangay 7, Barangay 8, Barangay 9, Barangay 10, Barangay 11,
Barra, Bato, Baybay, Bolo, Cabugao, Cagay, Cogon, Culajao, Culasi, Dumolog, Dayao,
Dinginan, Gabu-an, Inzo Arnaldo Village (Cadimahan), Jumaguicjic, Lanot, Lawa-an, Li-ong,
Libas, Loctugan, Lonoy, Milibili, Mongpong, Olotayan, Punta Cogon, Punta Tabuc, San Jose,
Sibaguan, Talon, Tanque, Tanza, Tiza.

 CLIMATE AND RAINFALL

Roxas City's climate is classified as tropical. There is significant rainfall in most months
of the year. The short dry season has little effect on the overall climate. According to
Köppen and Geiger, this climate is classified as Am. At an average temperature of 29.1
°C, May is the hottest month of the year. January has the lowest average temperature of
the year. It is 26.2 °C. Between the driest and wettest months, the difference in
precipitation is 294 mm. During the year, the average temperatures vary by 2.9 °C. The
average temperature in Roxas City is 27.7 °C. In a year, the average rainfall is 2338 mm.
 SOIL TYPES
The total land area of Roxas City is of 95.07 square kilometers or 36.71 square miles
which constitutes 3.66% of Capiz's total area. The soil type in the area is mostly Alluvial
in Nature such as Beach Sand and  Hydrosol, Bontog Clay, San Miguel Sandy Loam and
Luisuiana Clay Loam.

 POLITICAL SUBDIVISION AND TOPOGRAPHY

The municipality is divided into 47 barangays of which 31 are urban and 16 are rural.
Distance of barangays to Poblacion and topography are as follows:
Barangays/Classification Distances to Poblacion Topography
1. Adlawan
2. Bago
3. Balijuagan
4. Banica
5. Barangay 1
6. Barangay 2
7. Barangay 3
8. Barangay 4
9. Barangay 5
10. Barangay 6
11. Barangay 7
12. Barangay 8
13. Barangay 9
14. Barangay 10
15. Barangay 11
16. Barra
17. Bato
18. Baybay
19. Bolo
20. Cabugao
21. Cagay
22. Cogon
23. Culajao
24. Culasi
25. Dumolog
26. Dayao
27. Dinginan
28. Gabu-an
29. Inzo Arnaldo Village
(Cadimahan)
30. Jumaguicjic
31. Lanot
32. Lawa-an
33. Li-ong
34. Libas
35. Loctugan
36. Lonoy
37. Milibili
38. Mongpong
39. Olotayan
40. Punta Cogon
41. Punta Tabuc
42. San Jose
43. Sibaguan
44. Talon
45. Tanque
46. Tanza
47. Tiza