The City of Roxas, once known as the municipality of Capiz
is the capital of the province of Capiz.
In 1569, Captain Diego de Artieda who was sent by Miguel
Lopez de Legazpi from Cebu, landed on the town of Pan-ay and proclaimed it as
the capital. Later the capital was moved to its present site upon discovering
that the town of Capiz was near the sea where they can have better docking
facilities. The Spaniards saw the long coastal cover and envisioned a trading
and shipping center. Ports were constructed in Libas and later in Culasi.
A river meanders across the town, cuts it at the heart and
divides it almost equally into two. Tributaries from the mountains flowed into
the head of Panay River through settlements formed along its shores, irrigating
and fertilizing the land to provide food to the people. Following its course
into the sea, it provides water to fishponds during high tide.
In 1590, the Navy of Acapulco, Mexico made Capiz port its
arsenal (naval yard) where they can seek shelter when the sea was rough. Capiz
then eventually grew into a bustling port and several houses of stones were
built. The social and political status enjoyed by the native chieftains of
Capiz often resulted in mixed marriages with the Spaniards. The mestizo
descendants became the base of the principalia or influential citizens. Their
privileged positions allowed them to build houses around the favored square of
the poblacion - around the church 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, 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 Beach was built as an extension of San Roque Street.
The town of Capiz was frequently attacked by Muslims that in
1814, stone forts at Baybay Beach (Baluarte) were built through the initiative
of Gobernadorcillo Jose Consolacion.
In 1870, the ground was broken for the foundation of the
Cathedral of Capiz under the guidance of Reverend Apolonio Alvarez. It was
built by sturdy hands, sweat and blood of Capizeños who were victims of forced
labor.
In 1876, the diocese of Jaro in Iloilo was erected and Capiz
came under its jurisdiction. In 1877, the cathedral was finally finished. Prior
to its construction, a chapel was built in Burgos Street beside the municipal
building.
In August 1899, the Spanish colonial government represented
by Governor Juan Herrero formally surrendered to General Ananias Diokno in
Baybay Beach.
Economic debacle hit the town of Capiz in 1914 when the
Ayala Distillery grounded to a halt. 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 and 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.
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, former Vice Mayor Libertad Conlu became the first female
mayor of Capiz.
Capiz became a chartered city on May 12, 1951 through House
Bill 1528 sponsored by Ramon Acuña Arnaldo, the representative of the First
District of Capiz. It was approved by President Elpidio Quirino on April 11,
1951 as Republic Act 608. Consequently, the town was named Roxas City after her
greatest son, President Manuel Acuña Roxas, the last president of the Commonwealth
and the first president of the Philippine Republic.
The first appointed mayor was Lorenzo Acuña Arnaldo followed
by Ramon Berjamin Blanco, Jose Dorado and Juliano Alovera Alba. In 1959,
Lorenzo Acuña Arnaldo again became the head of the city as the first elected
mayor. The next mayor was Teodoro Roxas Arcenas who was succeeded by Juliano
Alovera Alba who was also the representative of the First District of Capiz at
the House of Congress when Martial Law was declared.
Hon. Antonio A. Del Rosario, who is now the Congressman of
the 1st District of Capiz, was elected to three terms as mayor of Roxas City,
serving from 1998 to 2007.
Hon. Vicente B. Bermejo, who is the former governor of the
province of Capiz, was elected mayor and served for three years, from 2007 to
2010.
The incumbent mayor of Roxas City is Hon. Angel Alan B.
Celino, who also served as Vice Mayor of the city from 2004 to 2007.
The most notable people of Roxas include:
Manuel Acuña Roxas - First president of the independent
Republic of the Philippines
Josefa Abiertas - The first woman bar topnotcher and
proponent of the Women's Suffrage Bill
General Esteban Contreras - Fought for the freedom of the
Capiznons, was never captured by the Americans.
Jose "Tabai" Altavas - Municipal Councilor of
Capiz (1903 – 1906); member of the provincial board of Capiz (1906 - 1907);
Delegate to the First Philippine Assembly (1907 – 1909); Provincial Governor of
Capiz for two terms (1910 – 1916); Senator from Iloilo, Capiz and Romblon (1916
– 1922); and Representative from the second district of Capiz (1925 – 1928). He
was a member of the “goodwill” Legislative Delegation to Japan in 1917 and was
elected Delegate, from the first district of Capiz, to the constitutional
convention in 1934
