Roxas City

Roxas
—  City  —
Seal
Map of Capiz showing the location of Roxas City
Roxas Location in the Philippines
Coordinates:
Country	Philippines
Region	Western Visayas (Region VI)
Province	Capiz
District	First District of Capiz
Founded	1693
Cityhood	May 12, 1951
Barangays	47
Government
- Mayor	Vicente Bermejo
Area
- Total	101.96 km2 (39.4 sq mi)
Population (2007)
- Total	147,738
- Density	1,449/km2 (3,752.8/sq mi)
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Income class	2nd class city
Website	Official website

Roxas City is a medium-sized city in the province of Capiz, Philippines. It is the provincial capital and a component city. As of 2010^[update], the city mayor is former provincial governor Vicente Bermejo who was elected during the 2007 election.

The city is a center of copra and aquaculture production. The surrounding area grows sugarcane, rice, coconut, fruit, hemp, and tobacco. The language spoken in Roxas City are Capiznon and Hiligaynon, otherwise known as Ilonggo.

According to the 2000 census, the city has a population of 126,352 people in 25,126 households.

The abundance of marine life makes Roxas City the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines." This environment-friendly city is home to one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. Roxas City's Baybay Beach is 16 miles long, one mile wide and is the 15th largest natural bay in the world.^[1] The tallest sea cliffs in Western Visayas can be found on the city's north side. Roxas City has been a three-time recipient of the Regional Cleanest and Greenest Component City in Western Visayas Award of the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran Program of the national government.

History

Originally founded as the town of Capis in 1693, Roxas City is the site of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's settlement when he arrived from Cebu. The settlement was originally named El Puerto de Capiz, and was a seat of a royal kingdom during the Indo-Malay era. According to a 1732 census, there were 327 inhabitants. In 1746, Capiz was made the seat of the military government, although it was still theoretically controlled by the Bishopric of Cebu. According to a 1760 census, there were 17,683 inhabitants. On May 31, 1847, a Royal Decree turned the province into an alcadia. The adjacent municipality of Panay used to be the capital of the province. Capiz, the name of the province, was the old name of Roxas City. The settlement, then known as the "Municipality of Capiz", was accepted as a visita of the adjacent municipality of Panay—which was then the provincial capital.

Roxas City became a city on May 12, 1951 with the issuance of the city charter, Republic Act No. 603, with Lorenzo Arnaldo as its first mayor. The city was renamed as Roxas City in honor of President Manuel Roxas.

Statue of Manuel Roxas in Roxas City

Location

Roxas City is situated at the northeastern tip of the island of Panay with geographic coordinates of 11°35' N, 122°45' E. Its boundaries are: the Visayan 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 250 nautical miles (460 km) southeast of Manila, 135 kilometers northeast of Iloilo City, and 86 kilometers east of Kalibo, Aklan. Travel time to Manila is 45 minutes by air and 18 hours by sea.

Notable people

• Manuel Roxas, first President of the independent Republic of the Philippines.
• Josefa Abiertas, first woman bar topnotcher and proponent of the Women's Suffrage Bill.^[2]
• General Esteban Contreras, revolutionary leader during the Philippine-American War.^[3]
• Gerardo Roxas, Philippine Senator and son of President Manuel Roxas.
• Manuel Roxas II, Philippine Senator, grandson of President Manuel Roxas.
• Lorenzo Arnaldo, first Mayor of Roxas City
• Julito Elegino Sr., First Director of Classified Intelligence and former Commander in Chief of the New Peoples Army (Currently in Exile in Canada)
• Barbie Almalbis, Singer, former frontman of Hungry Young Poets and Barbie's Cradle.
• Geraldine V. Asis - Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1987
• Sergio "Takal" Adremisen - City of Roxas premier educator. Prolific innovator and pioneer of Sanitation science. Professional track driver under SMAC Motors. Credited for driving "Pinoy" model FMC for "SistaNunny".
• Ariel "Bombit" Alati-it - Roxas City' male fashionista. Originally from Brgy. Lanot on the south side of the city.

Festivals

Sinadya Sa Halaran

The Sinadya sa Halaran Festival is celebrated the first week of every December in commemoration of the founding of the city followed by the Diwal Festival signifying the city's importance as the country's "Seafood Capital" along with the Aswang Festival that symbolizes the rich heritage of myth and folklore in the province. There used to be two separate and distinct festivals, the Halaran ("Offering") and the Sinadya ("Celebration"), the former is celebrated by the Province of Capiz and the latter by the City of Roxas. The Sinadya was formerly held at the same time as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which was celebrated by the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral. The Halaran was usually held by the last week of October each year (A prelude to All Souls Day and All Saints Day festivals). However, because of the costs of holding two separate festivals year, the two festivals were merged, with both the Province of Capiz and the City of Roxas contributing to the expenses.

Diwal Festival

The Roxas City Seafood Festival is held to commemorate and promote the resurgence of the Angel Wing or diwal, which neared extinction until protected and cultivated in Roxas City.

Barangays

Roxas City is politically subdivided into 47 barangays.

References

External links

• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• Sen. Jose Altavas

Cities of the Philippines Highly-urbanized Cities Angeles · Bacolod · Baguio · Butuan · Cagayan de Oro · Caloocan · Cebu · Davao · General Santos · Iligan · Iloilo · Lapu-Lapu · Las Piñas · Lucena · Makati · Malabon · Mandaluyong · Mandaue · Manila · Marikina · Muntinlupa · Navotas · Olongapo · Parañaque · Pasay · Pasig · Puerto Princesa · Quezon City · San Juan · Tacloban · Taguig · Valenzuela · Zamboanga Independent Component Cities Cotabato · Dagupan · Naga · Ormoc · Santiago Component Cities Alaminos · Antipolo · Bago · Bais · Balanga · Batangas · Bayawan · Biñan · Bislig · Cabanatuan · Cadiz · Calamba · Calapan · Calbayog · Candon · Canlaon · Catbalogan · Cauayan · Cavite · Danao · Dapitan · Dasmariñas · Digos · Dipolog · Dumaguete · Escalante · Gapan · Gingoog · Himamaylan · Iriga · Isabela · Kabankalan · Kidapawan · Koronadal · La Carlota · Laoag · Legazpi · Ligao · Lipa · Maasin · Malaybalay · Malolos · Marawi · Masbate · Meycauayan · Muñoz · Oroquieta · Ozamiz · Pagadian · Palayan · Panabo · Passi · Roxas · Sagay · Samal · San Carlos (Negros Occidental) · San Carlos (Pangasinan) · San Fernando (La Union) · San Fernando (Pampanga) · San Jose · San Jose del Monte · San Pablo · Santa Rosa · Silay · Sipalay · Sorsogon · Surigao · Tabaco · Tacurong · Tagaytay · Tagbilaran · Tagum · Talisay (Cebu) · Talisay (Negros Occidental) · Tanauan · Tangub · Tanjay · Tarlac · Toledo · Trece Martires · Tuguegarao · Urdaneta · Valencia · Victorias · Vigan

Provincial capital cities and municipalities of the Philippines Luzon Antipolo City (de facto), Rizal · Balanga City, Bataan · Baler, Aurora · Bangued, Abra · Basco, Batanes · Batangas City, Batangas · Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya · Boac, Marinduque · Bontoc, Mountain Province · Cabarroguis, Quirino · Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro · Daet, Camarines Norte · Iba, Zambales · Ilagan, Isabela · Imus (de jure), Cavite · Kabugao (de jure), Apayao · Lagawe, Ifugao · Laoag City, Ilocos Norte · La Trinidad, Benguet · Legazpi City, Albay · Lingayen, Pangasinan · Lucena City, Quezon · Luna (de facto), Apayao · Malolos City, Bulacan · Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro · Masbate City, Masbate · Palayan City, Nueva Ecija · Pasig City (de jure), Rizal · Pili, Camarines Sur · Puerto Princesa City, Palawan · Romblon, Romblon · San Fernando City, La Union · San Fernando City, Pampanga · Tabuk, Kalinga · Tarlac City, Tarlac · Trece Martires City (de facto), Cavite · Tuguegarao City, Cagayan · Santa Cruz, Laguna · Sorsogon City, Sorsogon · Vigan City, Ilocos Sur · Virac, Catanduanes Visayas Bacolod City, Negros Occidental · Borongan, Eastern Samar · Catarman, Northern Samar · Catbalogan, Samar · Cebu City, Cebu · Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental · Iloilo City, Iloilo · Jordan, Guimaras · Kalibo, Aklan · Maasin City, Southern Leyte · Naval, Biliran · Roxas City, Capiz · San Jose de Buenavista, Antique · Siquijor, Siquijor · Tagbilaran City, Bohol · Tacloban City, Leyte Mindanao Alabel, Sarangani · Bongao (de facto), Tawi-Tawi · Butuan City (de facto), Agusan del Norte · Cabadbaran (de jure), Agusan del Norte · Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental · Digos City, Davao del Sur · Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte · Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay · Isabela City, Basilan · Isulan, Sultan Kudarat · Jolo, Sulu · Kidapawan City, Cotabato · Koronadal City, South Cotabato · Malaybalay City, Bukidnon · Mambajao, Camiguin · Marawi City, Lanao del Sur · Mati, Davao Oriental · Nabunturan, Compostela Valley · Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental · Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur · Panglima Sugala (de jure), Tawi-Tawi · Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur · Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao · Surigao City, Surigao del Norte · Tagum City, Davao del Norte · Tandag, Surigao del Sur · Tubod, Lanao del Norte