Aside from eating a lot
of seafood, one thing you can do in Capiz is to get to know the story
of the province through a Heritage Walk. You can a lot at
least 2 hours to cover the major landmarks of Roxas City and be in
the vibe of the province by getting to know its story. I encourage
you to do this not only because of history. This will let you, if
your allow yourself, to interact with the locals and have a selfie in
the city’s plaza. It is better to do your heritage walk in the
afternoon when natural light produces a good effect on your photos.
Also, it is in the afternoon when people in the plaza are active thus
adding a lively effect in your sojourn.
1. Ang Panublion Museum You can start the
Heritage Walk in the museum located in Hughes Street corner Legaspi
Street. Panublion Museum is beside the Roxas City Hall.
This former water tank
was converted into museum in 1993 after decades of abandonment. For
more than one hundred years this circular museum is the guardian of
precious things – the Capizeños legacy.
Here you can learn about
the history of Capiz starting from its pre-colonial time to the time
of the great son of Capiz – President Manual Acuña Roxas.
The Roxas City Plaza
Heritage Walk was designed and conceptualized by Ang Panublion
Museum. You can get a material for you to be guided on your own
heritage walk. They also stage different exhibit in the center if the
circular museum from time to time.
It’s good to start in
Panublion Museum because you can ask for a Roxas City Plaza Heritage
Walk materials.
The museum is free of
charge. Its doors is open to the public from Mondays to Saturdays
from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 2. President Manuel A.
Roxas MonumentLess than 70 meters from
the Panublion Museum stand the statue of the great son of Capiz.
President Roxas raised the flag of the Philippines when the Americans
gave us our independence on July 4, 1946.
In honor of President
Roxas the Municipality of Capiz (not to be confuse with Capiz
Province) was named after him. On May 12, 1951 three years after his
death Municipality of Capiz was named Roxas City.
3. Birthplace of
President Manuel Acuña Roxas From the monument of
President Roxas turn left to Rizal Street and walk for about 300
meters until you reach Zamora Street. The old house in the corner of
Rizal and Zamora Street is the birthplace of President Manuel Acuña
Roxas.
The house was sold to
another family not related to the Acuña’s and Roxas’ in the
1960’s. She explained that President Roxas spend most of his time
in Manila when he studied. When he returned to serves as Governor of
Capiz, the family bought another house.
You can knock of the door
of the old house and they will gladly open it for you to explore. 4. The Roxas City
Bandstand Located at the banks of
Panay River the Bandstand is an octagonal pavilion that was used to
be a well. Built in the 1920’s it is a prominent structure in the
plaza because of its beauty and color.
5. Panay River Just beside the bandstand
is a promenade overlooking the Panay River and the Bridge. You can
relax here and reflect in the almost still water of the river flowing
till the Sibuyan Sea. There are folktales about mermaids that can be
seen in the river before.
6. Capiz Bridge Capiz Bridge is a century
old bridge that connects Roxas City as it is surrounded by waters.
The bridge has a nice pedestrian lane on both bounds that is worthy
of a selfie.
The best place to take a
good shot of the bridge is in the bandstand are and the promenade
along the river. 7. Immaculate
Conception Metropolitan Cathedral Right across the
promenade along the river is the Immaculate Conception Metropolitan
Cathedral. The 17th Century Cathedral is one of the major
landmark in Roxas City.
The baige color of the
Church was the product of the effort of the parish to prettify the
church. According to the curator of Panublion Museum it has a
bluish color before and in her opinion the baige color is much
better. 8. Roxas City Fountain In the center of the
Plaza is a fountain that serves as a rotunda on the multi criss-cross
road network of the city proper. The fountain not only ease the flow
of the traffic, it has a major effect in the Plaza’s aesthetics and
vibe. The fountain actually made Roxas City Plaza one of the
picturesque center in the Philippines.
The fountain is the
city’s kilometer zero where all the distances from the city are
measured.
During the night the
fountain illuminates in different color like a start dancing in the
beat of the city. 9. Jose Rizal Monument Every town and city or
even barangay in the Philippine seems to have a statue in honor of
the national hero – Dr. Jose Rizal. What is special about this
monument is that it is one of the oldest Rizal monument built. The
monument was erected just 15 years after the death of the national
hero.
The monument stand in
front of the Capitol Building and next to the Fountain. 10. Capiz Provincial
Capitol The Provincial Capitol
Building is a destination itself. The century old structure is
located in the heart of Roxas City. The building is made formerly of
wood when it was owned by the Spanish government. In 1911 the
building was made concrete.
Capiz as a province was
established in 1901.
The concrete eagle design
in the façade of the building symbolizes the United States of
America’s influence and presence in Capiz.
You may want to visit the
tourism office at the second level of the Provincial Capitol to know
more about the province. Our friends in the Cultural and Tourism
Affairs will gladly assist you and welcome you. There are also
brochures that could help you explore the city and the province. You
also have to arrange your trip in Camp Peralta at the Cultural and
Tourism Affairs office. See contact below.
Go up to the third floor
explore the century old capitol building and see the top view of the
town Plaza, the church and the bridge.
Ang Panublion Museum Hughes Street Roxas City, Capiz 5800, Philippines Tel. No. (036) 522-8857 Email:
[email protected],
[email protected] Facebook:
facebook.com/AngPanublionMuseum For more information
about Capiz sights and attraction you may contact:
Capiz Provincial
Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office 2nd Floor,
Provincial Capitol, Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines Tel: +63(36) 621-0042
loc. 133 Email:
[email protected] Facebook:
facebook.com/CapizTourismAndCulturalAffairs
If you don’t have time
to do research for your seafood indulgence in Capiz you may ask Las
Islas Travel and Tours to arrange tours for you!
Las Islas Travel and ToursContact Numbers: +63 995-335 7310; +63 999-430 0133 Email Address: [email protected] Website: www.lasislas.phThis tour was sponsored by the Capiz
Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office of the office of the
governor. The Roxas City Plaza Heritage Walk was part of
Familiarization Tour conducted by the said office on September 27 –
30, 2015. The Familiarization tour was done as part of Capiz Tourism
Month.
