卡皮兹市 二级行政中心

Roxas (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈɾohas], Spanish pronunciation: [ˈroxas] ), officially the City of Roxas (Capiznon/Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa sang Roxas; Filipino: Lungsod ng Roxas), is a component city and the capital of the province of Capiz, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 185,236 people, making it the most populous city in Capiz and the second-most populous city in Western Visayas, after Iloilo City.

Originally known as the municipality of Capiz (from which the province derives its name), it became a chartered city on May 12, 1951, and was renamed in honor of native Manuel Roxas, the fourth president of the Philippines and the first president of the independent Third Philippine Republic.

Roxas City is the center of education, trade, economic activity, and logistics in Capiz. The abundance of marine life has earned the city the nickname "Seafood Capital of the Philippines".

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.

Geography

Roxas City is situated just east of the north-central coast of Panay Island with geographic coordinates of 11°35' N, 122°45' E. Its boundaries are: the Sibuyan 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 116 kilometres (72 mi) north of Iloilo City, 86 kilometres (53 mi) from Kalibo, 213 kilometres (132 mi) from San Jose de Buenavista and 250 nautical miles (460 km) southeast of Manila. Travel time from/to Iloilo City takes 2 hours by land, while travel time from/to Manila is 50 minutes by air and 18 hours by sea.

Barangays

The city of Roxas is politically subdivided into 47 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks and some have sitios.

Currently, there are 31 barangays which considered urban and the rest are rural.

Demographics

In the 2024 census, the population of Roxas City was 185,236 people, with a density of 1,900 inhabitants per square kilometre or 4,900 inhabitants per square mile.

Language

Languages spoken in Roxas City are Capiznon, Hiligaynon, English, and Tagalog.

Economy

Poverty incidence of Roxas City (%)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

Roxas City is one of the selected Digital Cities 2025 by the I.T. and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP).

The city gets its power from the Capiz Electric Cooperative (CAPELCO). The Metro Roxas Water District (MRWD) supplies drinking water to the populace, MRWD claims they have the cleanest and safest potable water in the region. Supplementing the water supplied by Metro Roxas Water District (MRWD) are wells with hand pumps and artesian wells which are constructed through the Barangay Water Program (BWP) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The city's urban area now expanded to the southern part primarily on the site of the 670 hectares (1,700 acres) master-planned city within a city, Pueblo de Panay, which aims to build a new business district between Lawaan and Sibaguan highways. It is now occupied by several restaurants and hotels, 40 metres (130 ft) high Sacred Heart of Jesus (Roxas, Capiz) shrine (the tallest in the Philippines), Sitio Uno by Pueblo Residences (Roxas City's first condominium), and the 37,500 m2 (404,000 sq ft) Robinsons Place Roxas. The Pueblo de Panay Technopark will house international and national BPO companies such as ePerformax Contact Centers and BPO.

Nearby the decade-old Gaisano Grand Roxas is the location of the first of the many CityMalls of DoubleDragon Properties and SM Prime Holdings. Roxas City is experiencing a "real estate boom" due to rapid conversions of fishponds into subdivisions and commercial areas.

The National Port of Culasi and Roxas Airport serve as the main gateway to the city from the capital city of Manila. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific has a daily flight to/from the capital city, Manila.

Infrastructure

Public transport

Roxas City is served mostly by passenger jeepneys, metered taxis and motorized tricycle within the city limits.

The Capiz Cabs (metered taxis) of Roxas City are made of SUV type and can carry seven maximum passengers and serve to any point of Panay Island. Most of them are designed in colorful packaging and can be seen all the time in Roxas Airport.

The Pueblo de Panay Libot Vehicles are new additions to the transportation system primarily within Pueblo de Panay. These vehicles are customized Isuzu NHR Trucks and are bigger than the usual passenger jeepneys.

Transport terminals

Roxas City has two Transport Terminals located at the city's perimeter areas, these are:

Roxas City Integrated Terminal located at the Pueblo de Panay in Lawaan is the transport hub serving passengers to/from the provinces of Aklan and Iloilo and roll on-roll off (RORO) buses plying Roxas-Manila(Cubao). The Php 50 million newly erected integrated terminal was done thru PPP by the LGU and Pueblo de Panay Inc.

Roxas City Eastern Terminal located in Banica, Roxas City is the transport hub serving passengers to/from the province of Iloilo.

Railroad

From 1907 to 1989, Panay Railways operated a railroad from Roxas City to the port area of Muelle Loney along the Iloilo River in Iloilo City. A revival of Panay Railways has been approved by the Regional Development Council - Region VI and is currently under feasibility study.

Roxas Airport

Roxas Airport (RXS) is an airport serving the general area of Roxas City, the entire province of Capiz, and Northern Iloilo in the Philippines. The airport is classified as a Class 1 principal airport by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

In 2013, the national government has approved the Php 215 million budget for the expansion of the Roxas Airport including installation of night landing facilities.

Roxas Airport has three-four daily flight bound to Manila, three flights by Cebu Pacific and one flight by Philippine Airlines and Air Asia.

Plazas and public parks

Capiz Provincial Park

This landmark is located within the perimeter of Barangay Tiza, Roxas City fronting the Capiz National High School. It has lush greeneries and houses several pocket gardens. The park has three monuments that represent the historical and cultural diversities of Roxas City. A turtle-shape outdoor theater nests at the Western part of the park. Another platform is situated at the Southern area, which can accommodate numerous public events. This park perfectly resembles a simple yet picturesque nook for local and foreign tourists.

Roxas City Plaza/Halaran Plaza

Located at the heart of the city, this park has two divisions. The first division lies near the Panay River banks. It houses a famous landmark (Roxas City Bandstand), where it is the exact location were signing of MOA, chartering Municipality of Capiz into City of Roxas. At the right-end of the first division, stands the life-size chess plaza.

The second division of Roxas City Plaza faces the right side of Roxas City Hall. It has several pine trees, but after the ravaging Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the Seafood Capital of the Philippines, several trees were uprooted and only few are currently existing. Travelers can visit Manuel A.