ROXAS CITY OFFICERS'

Interesting Places

CAPIZ PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

he newly renovated 3-storey Capiz provincial Capitol building reflects the aspirations of the Capiceños in various endeavors. The kapis shell windows is a manifestation of a product it has been known for its majestic location and height is an added feature that invites visitors to come in and take a look at its interiors. The Hall of Governors at the 3rd floor is a welcome sight for sight seers as it overlooks the major streets of the city.

he Sinadya sa Halaran Festival is the joint festival of the City of Roxas and the Province of Capiz. It is a mixed festival in that it is celebrated for both cultural and religious reasons. It is celebrated every first weekend of December in commemoration of the Feast of the Virgin of the Immaculate Concepcion who also happens to be the patroness of the City of Roxas. Sinadya sa Halaran boasts of colorful activities like the grand parade of festivals, the fluvial parade, the lighted river floaters. There is also the traditional seafood festival and the grand pyrotechnic display.

he Sinadya sa Halaran Festival is the joint festival of the City of Roxas and the Province of Capiz. It is a mixed festival in that it is celebrated for both cultural and religious reasons. It is celebrated every first weekend of December in commemoration of the Feast of the Virgin of the Immaculate Concepcion who also happens to be the patroness of the City of Roxas. Sinadya sa Halaran boasts of colorful activities like the grand parade of festivals, the fluvial parade, the lighted river floaters. There is also the traditional seafood festival and the grand pyrotechnic display.

THE ONLY SCHOOL OF IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CAPIZ !
HEADED BY REV.MSGR.HILATA

Olotayan, the only island barangay of Roxas City with estimated land area of 100 hectares, actually got its name from native word “olo” (head) and “Tyan” (stomach).  A popular legend that have survived the passing of decades said that in the olden days a wicked giant lived in the land and has always brought havoc and sufferings to the inhabitants who turned to the “anitos” or “anitas” (gods or goddess) who dwells in the land for help.  Their pleas were heard and a strong lightning hit the wicked giant which scattered his body to the sea.  The islands of Roxas City where then named after the body parts of the giant.  Thus, his head and stomach (Ulo and Tiyan) became the island of Olotayan.  Other islands like “Mantalinga” came from the Mata (eyes) and Talinga (ears), Tuwad (Buttocks) and Sepatos (feet).

A typhoon struck Capiz in January 4, 1698 and destroyed a primitive church together with its convent. It was hard, according to the priest, to rebuilt a new one because the townfolk were not used to working. Luckily, the minister of Capiz, Fr. Domingo Horbegozo started building the church in 1728 – the same year when the convent was freed from paying rent to the St. Augustine Monastery. The construction was going on until 1732. It was on 1876 when the parish was finally finished and blessed. The Second World War cost much damage to it and wasn’t repaired until 1954. There was a noticable change when Capiz was canonically erected as a Diocese. It took its name from the town of Capiz which was the capital of the Province of Capiz, a year later the capital was made into a city and subsequently changed its name to Roxas City, in honor of Capiz most prominent son, the late President Manuel Roxas.
Pope Leo XII envisioned the creation of the Diocese of Capiz as early as 1902, but the vision was turned into reality until July 16, 1951 almost 50 years later in accordance with the Apostolic Letter “Ex Supremi Apostolatus” of Pope Pius XII on January 27, 1951.
The only blue church in the whole island of Panay stands in front of the river in the middle of a moderately-busy city.

MGA PAGKAON SA AMUN  BANWA.!

 





















Roxas City, Capiz
This city in the Philippines is the capital of the province of Capiz, an area rich in mythology and folklore and the focus of tales of a dangerous creature known as the aswang. The city also has the far gentler nickname of the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines," due to abundance of marine life and fishing trade. The city was founded in 1693 under the name of Capiz, but would change its name to Roxas City in the 20th Century in honor of its very own Manuel Acuña Roxas, who served as the first president of the independent Republic of the Philippines.

The Aswang
The myth of the aswang (also known as mangalok, boroka, tik-tik, wak-wak, wuk-wuk, and others) varies upon each area's own beliefs and stories and is generically used to represent witches, shapeshifters, monsters and other ghouls. The more popular variation depicts the aswang as a vampire-like creature that can take human form during the day and even carry a job, usually as a butcher. It has the ability to change into other animals or even inanimate objects, depending on the area's folklore. At night, they hunt their prey, usually appearing in the form of an ugly old woman with long, wild hair, bloodshot eyes, long nails, and a distinctive black tongue. It can also appear as a bat, pig, a large black dog, and even in a form that closely resembles that of the Latin American chupacabra.

Their prey typically consists of the ill, children, corpses, and pregnant women, but can also include basically anyone that the aswang dislikes. It is said that they greatly favor a pregnant woman, and when it finds one it will extend its tongue into the woman's womb and drain the fetus of its blood, killing it. It is sometimes known as a kikik at these times for the sound it makes as it draws out the blood. When it comes across an ill person, it will crawl under their house and make the person sicker. It will also drink the blood from freshly dead corpses.

The stories of the aswang are not limited to the province of Capiz and spread throughout the island group of Visayas, but Capiz is rumored to have a high population of aswang and covens of witches. It is said that one can often identify an aswang in human form by their eyes, which appear greatly bloodshot from their lack of sleep from their nocturnal activities. Though the residents generally dismiss the stories as nothing but old folklore these days, there are still some that adorn their houses with garlic, salt, and holy water to keep the aswang at bay. In fact, this prevailing belief can be evidenced by recent news from the Philippines.

Aswang in the News
In an article on August 6, 2003 in the Sun.Star, a couple from the area of Villa Esperanza, Bacolod City reported being besieged by an aswang at midnight every night. Their story began on July 29 when the 20-year-old woman was fishing at a pond near her home when an old woman, dressed in black, approached her and offered her a white stone. The young woman refused and quickly fled, but reported that the nightly visits began immediately. The couple were kept awake by strange scratching noises on the walls of their house and when they turned on the lights, saw a brief flash of the witch's hand. When they chased it outside, they came face to face with a black dog. The events caused the couple to flee to the safety of their relatives, while their neighbors kept a vigil over their house at midnight to keep an eye out for the aswang.