BUNGAD

New Capiz festival like 'rain in summer'

Roxas City (11 April) -- Department of Tourism (DOT) Supervising Tourism Operations Officer lawyer Helen J. Camarista likened to a rain in summer Capiz's new festivity dubbed "Capiztahan" for breathing fresh air into the local tourism program.

Organized by the provincial government to mark the 107th foundation anniversary of the creation of its local government unit on April 15, 1901, Capiztahan has departed from the existing festivals of the province by focusing on the various facets of the cultural heritage of the Capiceños without the other revelry-type of activities.

Gov. Victor A. Tanco, Sr. has said earlier that the modification or shift is in line with the one of the development thrusts of the provincial government to make Capiz as an eco-cultural tourism hub in the Central Philippines Super Region, which had been identified by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the country's tourism belt.

The province has a joint festival with the city, Sinadya sa Halaran, the premier local cultural and religious festival staged every first week of December and depicts the Capiceños' traditions of giving and sharing and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

It has been recognized by the DOT as one of Western Visayas's major tourism-oriented festivals and has obtained support from the agency.

Speaking at the festival opening, April 11, Camarista, who pitched in for DOT Regional Director Edwin Trompeta, said that since Capiztahan emphasizes the cultural heritage of Capiz, it ought to make Capiceños proud of their noble cultural heritage.

There are more indigenous activities and presentations lined up for the festival which will culminate April 15, the date of the establishment of the provincial government in 1901 by virtue of Commonwealth Act 115, such as interactive exhibits, products showcase, heritage tour, native games, pag-ulikid or outreach services, concert of Capiznon songs, and tribute presentation for President Roxas entitled "Manoling," among others.

April 15 this year also marks the 60th death anniversary of President Manuel A. Roxas, the first President of the Republic of the Philippines. The nearest Friday to it, April 19, is a special non-working holiday here by virtue of Republic Act No. 9217 to give due honor to Capiz's most illustrious son.

Camarista also enjoined Capiceños to promote tourism activities that would not violate the environment and lead to the exploitation of the people. The DOT Regional Office in Iloilo City has extended support to the ongoing celebration with the theme, "Gintugyan nga Panublion: Handumanan kag Manggad sang Capiznon." (PIA-JSC)

source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/

CAPIZ in HISTORY

PLEISTOCENE PERIOD
The islands of Panay, Romblon, Negros and Masbate were once of one mass of islands connected by strips of land to Mindanao, the Celebes and Java. When the ice melted over the world, there was a separation and unification at one time or another of all islands in the Philippines.

PRE-MALAYAN ERA
Eventually, the island of Panay emerged. The first people o have lived was found to be enigmatic as the fossil of the Stegodon. They must have been the Tabon men who must have spread all over the island and reached the mountains of Capiz.

The Negritos were probably the second race which was then known to them the island of Panay as Aninipay. In Capiz, they are prevalently called Atis. Likewise, the Mundo tribes and the Chinese traders have their own contributions to the rich annals of Capiz during this era.

MALAYAN ERA
Upon the migration of the ten Bornean datus with their retinues to the island of Panay, the Confederation of Madja-as otherwise known as “Katilingban it Madja-as” was formed after the purchase of this island by the Bornean Datus from the Negrito King Marikudo.

The island which divided into three major districts or sakups was then called Madja-as. Sumakwel was to rule Hantik (Antique); Paiburong was to rule Irong-Irong (Iloilo); and Bangkaya was to rule Aklan that included Capiz. This sakup of Aklan was formed in 1213.

An event relates that when the wife of Balingangan, the eldest son of Bangkaya who rose into a powerful overlord of the Confederation of Madja-as in 1226, bore him beautiful twin daughters, amply called Bulan and Adlaw (Moon and Sun). To honor his successful leadership, the sakup he ruled was named Aklan and Capid (or Aklan and its twin).

SPANISH ERA
Harassed by the marauding Portuguese in Cebu, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi forced his famished men to branch out to the island of Panay.

In l569, he entered Pan-ay town and became the Second Spanish settlement in the Philippines next to Cebu. It served as the springboard of the Spaniards for further exploration and colonization. Thus, on May 8, l570 marked the conquest of Pan-ay town and consequently the district of Aklan under the leadership of Martin de Goiti who was considered the first Spanish ruler of Pan-ay town.

A legend or not, one story relates that the first Spaniards who set foot on Capiz soil met a woman carrying two babies. The babies were twin. The Spaniards were answered by the woman “Capid,” thinking that these strangers were asking about her babies. The word “Capid” was then substituted with the word Capiz by the Spaniards since the Spanish “d” is pronounced liker hard “th”.

Another version evolved, when the Spaniards came to Capiz, they saw plenty of fish with slim, elongated bodies called by the native fishermen as “lapiz.” Miscommunications then resulted in the name of the place CAPIZ.

Still another story goes that on the shores of the settlement they built in Pan-ay, the Spaniards found in abundance a rare variety of a shell of the mollusk family known to the natives as Pi-os or Kapis; hence CAPIZ.

Historical records show that the “pueblo” of Pan-ay was the first capital of the province which include the Capiz town and considered also the center of Catholicism in the entire island. It was in this town from where the name of the island which comprises the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo was derived.

Capiz was created into a separate “encomienda” but it was abolished in l574 and the “alcaldia” was introduced. Each alcaldia (province) was headed by an Alcalde Mayor (now the provincial governor) and the towns into which each Alcaldia was divided were called Pueblos headed by the Gobernadorcillo (now the Municipal Mayor). This form of government continued until l866 when Spain issued two Royal Decrees creating the Office of the Civil Governor.
Five Spanish civil governors ruled Capiz for the Spanish royalty. They were Zamora, Cadrana, Togores, Romero and Herrero.

In 1715, Capiz town was officially separated from Pan-ay town. In the later part of 1757, it was made the Capital of the province of Capiz including Aklan because this is near the sea and there is a better docking facility.

The first governor of Capiz appointed by King Philip II of Spain was a Spaniard by the name of Pavis who lived in Pan-ay town. The succeeding governors then lived in Capiz town.

The first Capitan of the Poblacion of Capiz was Gubaton who built a fortification at the mouth of Panay River. Capiz town must have been ruled by a puppet capitanes from 1715 to 1772 by the time Ignacio Quintia became the first gobernadorcillo of the town and the last was Juan Albar in 1892.

REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD
Capiz was the first region outside Luzon to have engaged in mass armed struggle against Spain. In August l899, Capizenos saw the eventual downfall of the Spaniards during their formal surrender to the revolutionary government in the beach of Baybay, Capiz town.

AMERICAN REGIME
The American forces landed in Panay and took complete control of the island on December 8, 1899.

Capiz was still a politico-military province comprising Aklan and the neighboring islands of Romblon, Maestro de Campo, Tablas and Sibuyan.

In l90l, by virtue of Act No. 82 of the Philippine Commission, the municipal governments were organized. Prior to the separation of Aklan section of Capiz province, there were thirty-three (33) municipalities.

The Philippine Commission Act No. 83 also organized the provincial government of the province of Capiz. On April l5, l90l, Gov. William Howard Taft established a civil government and appointed Simplicio Jugo Vidal as provincial governor of Capiz while Mariano Chiyuto was named municipal president of Capiz town.

Romblon was organized a province and separated from the Capiz province in May 1901. The National Assembly in 1907 came up with the reorganization of the provincial districts. And so, Capiz was divided into three districts. Eugenio Picazo represented the first district; Jose Cortez Altavas, the second district; and Simeon Mobo Reyes, the third district.

The Capiz bridge, constructed as a wooden bridge spanning Panay river on December 8, 1841, later it was concreted later in 1909.

In 1911, the two-storey Capiz Provincial Capitol bulding overlooking the town plaza, along with Dr. Jose Rizal a monument, was built through the initiative of Gov. Jose Cortez Altavas. Another storey was built on top of its original two-storey building in 1945.
On September 17, 1935, the first election for the National Assembly was held upon the approval of the 1935 Constitution. Mandated by the people to represent Capiz in the National Assembly were: Manuel A. Roxas, for the first district; Jose Dorado, fo the second district; and Rafael Tumbokon, for the third district.

Infrastructure projects were then laid down in Capiz. The road connecting Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan was constructed and the Philippine Railway was also established.

Sometime in l938, Capizenos started to enjoy the first theater known as Rizal showing silent movies. It was erected somewhere on Legaspi Street, this town.

JAPANESE INVASION
In the morning of April l5, l942, the Japanese invader took the town of Capiz. Under the resistance government, Capiz was organized into three administrative districts under Supervising Governor Cornelio T. Villareal, Sr. The Emergency Provincial Guard with Auxilliary unit known as “Homeguards” was set up on August l2, l942 in every municipality of Capiz.

By December l944, the entire Japanese garrisons were in the hands of Capiz guerilla. In October l945, Capiz was free of all Japanese.

POST-WAR ERA
The Philippine Civil Affairs Unit temporarily appointed all officials in both the provincial and municipal governments in Capiz. Gabriel K. Hernandez restored his gubernatorial post but on acting capacity in l945.

REPUBLICAN ERA
America restored the independence of the Republic of the Philippines on July 4, l946. In Capiz, Gov. Ludovico Hidrosollo became the head executive in l947.

The Diocese of Capiz became a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction from the Diocese of Jaro on February 15, 1951. It was on January 17, 1976 that Pope Paul VI elevated Capiz to the rank of Archdiocese. The Immaculate Conception Cathedral built in l876 by the Augustinian Friars was reconstructed in l954.

On April ll, l95l, Pres. Elpidio Quirino signed into law Republic Act No. 603 creating the capital town of Capiz into a city and on May l2, 1951, it became a chartered city named “ROXAS CITY” in honor of the last president o the Commonwealth and the first president of the Philippine Republic, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas. The City Hall (formerly Community Hall) is the seat of the Roxas City administration.

Aklan was established as a separate province on April 25, 1956 by virtue of Republic Act No. 1414 signed by President Ramon F. Magsaysay.

Subsequently, Capiz was divided into two districts. The first district is composed of the City of Roxas and the municipalities of Maayon, Pan-ay, Pilar, Pontevedra, Pres. Roxas and Panit-an; while the second district is composed of the municipalities of Ivisan, Sigma, Dao, Cuartero, Dumalag, Dumarao, Tapaz, Mambusao, Sapi-an and Jamindan.

The first radio station in Capiz named DYRX went on air on July 28, l958.

Sometime in the later part of l962, Villareal Stadium was constructed in Brgy. Tiza, Roxas City. After its completion, the Bureau of Public School Interscholastic Athletic Association Meet participated by eight (8) regional athletic associations was for the first time held here on March 3-9, 1963.

The province of Capiz has evolved its political structure and grown from a politico-military government to an independent district.

Reference
A Comprehensive HISTORY OF CAPIZ: In Search of Identity
By JOSE B. BOLANTE

(Governor’s Press Bureau/PIA Capiz)

AKTIBIDADES sa CAPIZtahan! 2008

Panglakaton sa Paghiliusa (Caravan/Walk)
Panglakaton sa Paghiliusa is a solidarity caravan and walk involving the participation of the various municipal governments and City Government of Roxas in order to demonstrate the unity of Capizenos, bound as they are together by a common set of values and beliefs and aspiration for progress.
Led by the provincial government, the province-wide event serves as the kick-off activity for the celebration. Contingents from the First District will converge in Panitan while those from the Second District will meet together in Ivisan before the final caravan/walk to Roxas City.
The delegations will be led by their respective municipal government officials.

Patubas (Blessing & Inauguration of Projects)
The occasion will serve as an opportunity to showcase some of the development projects (infrastructure/social/governance) implemented by the provincial government for the benefit of the people in consonance with the over-arching thrust of the administration of Governor Victor A. Tanco, Sr. embodies in the slogan, “Pag-ulikid: Labi sa Tanan ang Tawo.”
The activity is akin to a farm harvest, that is, reaping the fruit of the land that would be of benefit to the people, Patubas is a harvest of new projects completed by the provincial government.
The projects to be blessed and inaugurated include the following:

Misa Pasalamat
It is a Thanksgiving Mass for the blessings bestowed upon the Capizeños, especially for the creation of the civil or provincial government, as well as harvest of development projects.
The special religious ceremony will be participated in by provincial, city and municipal government officials and employees.
The historic and magnificent Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral in Roxas City will be the venue of the thanksgiving mass.

Bunggad/Bungad
Bunggad is an activity that will signal the formal start of the celebration. There will be a flag raising ceremony and an opening program at the Provincial Capitol Building.

Fiesta Capizeño
After the Bunggad, Provincial, city and municipal officials will lead their respective delegations in a solidarity caravan with non-government organizations to the Capiz Gymnasium where a get-together dubbed Fiesta Capizeño will be held.
The get-together was conceived to have a fiesta-like atmosphere in keeping with the spirit of the foundation anniversary celebration.

Municipal delegations are expected to bring along with them their respective native delicacies to be shared with other delegations at the Fiesta Capizeño even as they would also have the opportunity to partake of the others’ food concoctions.

Halad sang Bombo
Local radio station DYOW Bombo Radyo of Bombo Radyo Philippines is staging a special show featuring talented personalities from the entertainment world and from the radio network’s own pool of talents.
This is the said media organization’s way of adding life and color to the celebration as part of its commitment in public service.

Dungog Capiznon
It is an interactive exhibit designed to showcase the rich history of each town and Roxas City through historical documents, artifacts, pictures and heritage objects.
Appropriately enough, the exhibit will be held April ll – l5 at the Ang Panubli-on Museum of Roxas City, which is a repository of Capiz’s noble, glorious and colorful past.

Tukib Abilidad (Tourism Olympics)
It is a friendly competition among local government units in the province on major facets of the tourism industry, which is an emerging investment sector in the province.
The contest categories are Tour Guiding, Tour Packaging, Feature Writing, Poster Making, and Quiz Bee on History and Culture of Capiz.

Panglugayawon (Heritage Tour)
Although, already an ongoing activities in the province and city, tours to major local tourist destinations and attractions have lately become a popular fare in Capiz, in view of the emphasis given by the provincial government on tourism.
Recently, the Capiz Halaran Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Roxas City Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry sponsored a day-tour of tourism sites in the towns of Panay, Sigma and Ivisan to see for themselves their treasure trove of historical sites and edifices, natural wonders, unique products and cultural heritage in line with their thrust on tourism development and promotion.
Given the rich and colorful past of the province, the celebration would be an opportune time to awaken among Capizeños the desire to discover these treasures and let others also know and appreciate them.
For four days, April l2 – l5, participants of this activity will be taken on a journey to savor Capiz’s wealth of wonders including centuries-old churches,. Mangroves, beaches, gardens, mountain sceneries, waterfalls, caves, historical sites and monuments, hospitable people, unique products, indigenous culture, and seafood.

Hinampang 2008
In order to further spark excitement during the celebration, a Chess competition (Dusô: Capiz – Aklan Goodwill Chess Tournament) will be held April l3 inside a mall in the city to gather chess talents and choose the cream of the cop among them.
A number of Capiznons have already made outstanding achievements in this kind of sports.

Amba Capiznon
This grand concert will feature chorale groups from schools and churches who will be asked to perform Kapisnon folk songs and compositions of Capiznons, musical treasures that now have become part of Capiz’s history and cultural heritage.

Pag-ulikid
It is a series of Outreach Programs to be undertaken by the provincial; government to give life to the vow of the Tanco administration to prioritize the welfare of the people above all else.
It will consist of a one-day Farmers’ Day, Surgical/Dental Mission, Senior Citizens, Vaccination, Passporting Service and Blood-Letting. These are activities that are deemed valuable by the provincial government especially in delivering vital services to the people. The passporting service and farmer’s day will be held April l4 – l5.
This will be complemented by non-government organizations that have also pledged to support the celebration by conducting their own outreach project activities.

Manoling
Manoling is a theatre production on the life of President Manuel A. Roxas, who was the last President of the Philippine Commonwealth and the First President of the Philippine Republic.
Roxas is Capiz,s most illustrious son for giving considerable honor and prestige to the Capiznons during his incumbency as Chief Executive of the Republic of the Philippines.

Paghanduraw
April l5, which is the foundation day of Capiz, also marks the death anniversary of President Manuel A. Roxas.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared this day as a special holiday throughout the province in honor of a great man who had done great deeds for his country and brought pride and honor to his fellow Capiznons.
To mark the occasion, a wreath-laying ceremony and program will be held at the President Roxas Monument at the heart of the city plaza. A thanksgiving mass at the metropolitan cathedral will usher in the activity.

Hugyaw Capiz!
It will consist of a fireworks competition and showcase of local musical groups and contemporary bands that will be held on the final day of the celebration to serve as a fitting exclamation point to the activities of the l07th Capiz Foundation Day Celebration.
Several fireworks manufacturers from different places in the country have signified their intention to join the competition with substantial prizes for the top winners or those who will be adjudged as having the most colorful, unique and entertaining fireworks displays.
The finale will also be an opportunity by which Capiznons would be able to discover and witness the musical talents of home-grown bands as they perform original compositions and present their own cover versions of songs made by other groups.

Produkto Kapisnon
Through One Town – One Product (OTOP), local chief executives of every city and municipality take the lead in identifying, developing, and promoting a specific product or service which has competitive advantage. The program supports MSMEs to manufacture, offer, and market distinctive products or services through the use of indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents.
The establishment of the proposed OTOP Corner at the Balay Kapisnon here will provide venue for the international and local tourists, Small and Medium Enterprise, private sector and Local Government Units to better appreciate and promote advocacy for the OTOP program of the province of Capiz.
The Provincial Government of Capiz and Panitan town will display cutfoliage; Roxas City and municipalities of Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar and Sapian will showcase fresh/processed seafood likes dried fish, bangus, crabs and green mussel; Coco-based products for the towns of Ivisan and Mambusao; Nito for Maayon, Sigma will exhibit muscovado sugar, Dao will show bags and garments, metalcraft for the municipality of Cuartero, goat for Dumarao, Dumalg will reveal their eco-tourism, Tapaz will show signs of their fancy rice, and Jamindan for their best abaca.

(Philippine Information Agency – Capiz/Governor’s Press Bureau)