|
|
|
Major Hubs 5 Major Destinations
Manila and Its Spokes
|
Cebu and its Spokes
Laoag / Baguio and its Spokes
|
Davao and its Spokes
Clark/Subic and its Spokes |
Others and its Spokes
Roxas / Capiz
THE PROVINCE AT A GLANCE
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Capiz is another province whose name possesses a rather
interesting etymology. It was named based on the story that
when the Spaniards came to Capiz in 1570, it was the time
when 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, known as Aklan in pre-Spanish times, was one of the
early settlements of the Malayas, 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. It ranks as the second largest province among the
four provinces of Panay Island. It is also the birthplace of
Manuel A. Roxas, the First President of the Republic of the
Philippines, after whom the provincial capital, Roxas City,
was named.
BRIEF HISTORY
Aklan is the oldest province in the Philippines, organized
in 1213 by settler from Borneo as the Minuro it Akean to
include what is now Capiz. The capital of Aklan changed
location several times. Towards the end of the fourteenth
century Datu Dinagandan moved the capital to the present
site of Batan which was captured in 1399 by Chinese
adventurers under Kalantiaw, who forth with ruled Aklan. In
1433 the son of Kalantiaw, Kalantiaw III laid down a written
code of laws now known as the Code of Kalantiaw. The short-
lived Kalantiaw dynasty ended when Kalantiaw III was slain
in a duel with Datu Manduyog, legitimate successor to Datu
Dinagandan. When Manduyog became the new ruler, he moved the
capital to Bakan (ancient name of Banga) in 1437. Several
datus succeeded Manduyog and when Miguel Lopez de Legaspi
landed in Batan in 1565, Datu Kabayag was ruling Aklan from
what is now the town of Libacac.
Lopez de Legaspi divided the Minuro it Akean into 5
encomiendas which he distributed among his faming followers.
Those encomiendas were in Mambusao, Batan and Panay. Along
with political changes, the Spaniards introduced
Christianity and in a short while thousands of Aklanons were
baptized.
Towns were laid following the Spanish pattern, each
organized around a plaza with church, municipio and school.
Roads were carved out of forests to link principal towns. In
1716, the area of the Minuro it Akean was designated a
province. But to the dismay of Aklanons it was called Capiz
and until Aklan became a province on its own in 1956, the
Aklanons never knew rest.
In 1896 an Aklanon member of Bonifacioดs Katipunan arrived
in Batan and he organized Aklan for the fight against Spain.
Battles marking this struggle are commemorated today with
numerous municipal holidays, notable among them being New
Washington's "Pacto de Sangre" celebration.
Having developed an identity of their own, a distinct
dialect being no problem, the people of Aklan felt they
should govern themselves. After the Americans took the
country from Spain in 1901 an Aklan delegation petitioned
the Taft Commission, which structured the new civil
government of the country for separation from Capiz. The
petition was not turned down, but it was not granted. As a
sop, the Americans promised to set up at the right time a
separate court of first instance for Aklan at Batan. They
appointed Simeon Mobo Reyes as first provincial secretary.
But the struggle for separation never let up. The newspaper
" Aklanon" which began publication in 1914 advocated
creation of a separate province while Aklanons in Congress
filed numerous bills for the same purpose, including the
Urquiola-Alba bill in 1920, the Laserna-Suner bills in 1925
and 1930 and the Tumbokon bill in 1934.
Aklan finally became an independent province when President
Magsaysay signed into law on April 25,1956, Republic Act
1414 separating Aklan from Capiz. This law authored by
Congressman Godofredo P. Ramos and the province was
inaugurated on November 8, 1956. Ramos became the first
congressman of Aklan; he was succeeded by Jose B. Legaspi.
The third congressman, serving until the declaration of
martial law in 1972, was Rafael B. Legaspi. Jose Raz Menez
was appointed the first governor of Aklan by President
Magsaysay and he served until December 30, 1959. In 1960,
Godofredo P. Ramos became the first elected governor but
upon resigning to run for Congress he was succeeded by the
vice governor, Virgilio S. Patricio. In 1964, Jose B.
Legaspi succeeded Patricio and he held office for two
consecutive terms, 1964-71.
LANGUAGE/DIALECT
Languages / dialect spoken are English, Tagalog, Akeanon,
Hiligaynon, Cebuano and others.
MAJOR INDUSTRIES
Capiz is now considered as the "Seafood Capital of the
Philippines" fishing grounds in the country. Blue
marlin, tuna, milkfish (bangus), prawns and shrimps,
seaweed, crabs, eel, shellfish such as oysters and angel
wings "diwal", squid and other marine species are abundant
in the province. Prawns and popular fish varieties are
cultured in farms. In view of the very large supply of
oysters in Capiz, it was chosen as the site of the biggest
oyster processing plant in the Philippines to export canned
smoked oysters. The culture of seaweeds along the
province’s coastal municipalities, for processing is also
being developed into carrageenan for export.
Capiz is also known for its cutflower production and
marketing. Orchids, heliconias, anthuriums, roses, and other
ornamental plants are suitable for propagation in the
province. Having a 400-hectare site ready for
contract-growing arrangements, the cutflower industry is
poised to become a major income-earner for the province
|
|
|
|
