Roxas, Capiz

Roxas City, officially the City of Roxas (Capiznon/ hil, Dakbanwa sang Roxas; fil, Lungsod ng Roxas), is a 3rd class component city and capital of the province of Capiz, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 179,292 people.

It is originally known as the Municipality of Capiz (from which the province derives its name), the area became a chartered city on May 12, 1951, and was renamed in honor of native Manuel Acuña Roxas, the fourth president of the Philippines and the first of the independent post-American Third Philippine Republic.

Roxas City is the center of education, trade, economic activities and logistics in Northern Panay. The abundance of marine life makes Roxas City the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines." It has received Cleanest and Greenest Component City in Western Visayas Award in the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran (GPK) Cleanliness and Environmental contest. The Department of Health (DOH) awarded the city with the Red Orchid Award for being "100 percent tobacco-free". It has also gained the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Seal of Good Housekeeping and won the Best Police Station in the region by the Philippine National Police.

History

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 facilities. The Spaniards saw the long coastal cover and envisioned a trading and shipping . 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 in 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 on August 31, 1898, when Governor Juan Herrero formally surrendered to General Ananias Diokno along Baybay area.

Historical account of Pedro G. Gallardo

Capiz is located on a small island formed by the Panay and Banica rivers. The Panay Rivers was famous, it is said by the great number of caimanes (alligators). The soil is poor in the northern part of the island and is most productive only in the southern part. Fr. Agustin Estrada was named prior that same year. In 1707, it was declared an independent parish under the advocation of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

The private council of 1716 created this town which was originally named El Puerto de Capiz, a vicariate under Fr. Pedro Vivaldi (?) as prior-vicar. In 1728, the convent was relieved from paying any rent to San Agustin Monastery. And likewise, in 1732. This suggests that the convent was rather poor or that the priors were building the parochial edifices. By this time, Loctugan and Ibisan were assigned to it as visitas.

In the middle of the 18th century, Capiz was declared the capital city of the province of the same name which later became “the most famous sea port and the biggest ministry the Augustinians had in that province.” Capiz (or Capis) was renowned all over for its shells, the capis used for window panes on houses and convents all throughout the Philippines. Tradition holds that this is the place where the Visayas dialect is spoken with “more propriety and musicality” and where “women dress with more neatness, and elegance” The Capizeños showed special loyalty to Spain during the British invasion, by sending money and ammunition to Manila and jailing the alcalde mayor, Señor Quintanilla, who was caught “conducting secret negotiation to have the province handed over peacefully to the British.”

In 1732, Capiz had 2,327 souls. In 1760 Capiz had 3,971 of which 16 were Spaniards. In 1896, its population increased to 17,683. In 1990, it reached 103,171.

Capiz was a progressive city in 1891, its exports through the sea port, reached 1,800,000 pesos and imports were valued at 900,000 pesos. It was a joy to watch, in the old times, the many boats converging, often at the same time, at the port to load rice.”
The primitive church was built before 1698, the year in which the typhoon of January 4 destroyed it together with the convent.
According to a document, the priest found it difficult “to rebuild them because the people were not used to work.” Fortunately, Fr. Domingo Horbegoso, minister of Capiz, started building the church in 1728, the year in which the convent was relieved from paying any rent to San Agustin Monastery. The construction seemed to have continued, at least until 1732.

Capiz was founded in 1693 under the advocation of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.

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

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