Ii. Historical Background

Legends have it that the name of Capiz came from Akean and Kapid (meaning – “twin”) which Balingangan, Datu Bangkaya’s eldest son, named his “sakups” (territories) in honor of his twin daughters “ Bulan and Adlaw” ( Moon and Sun). Another version was based on the story that when the Spaniards came to settle it was time when the wife of Bangkaya (head of Aklan District then) gave birth to win daughters. Twins in the local dialect is “kapid” but the settling Spaniards adopted the name “Capiz” either due to their difficulty in pronouncing the “D” in “kapid” or as inadvertently miscommunicated to them by the natives. Still, some old folks believed that Capiz got its name from “Kapis” or “pios” (a shell in the mollusk family) which were found in abundance that time. Centuries before the coming of the Spaniards to the country, Capiz was one of the early settlements of the Malays. It was formed part of the Confederation of Madya-as after the purchase of Panay Islands by the Bornean Datus from the Negrito King Marikudo. Panay was divided into three major districts and the Aklan District that included Capiz was formally formed in 1223. Later, Datu Kalantiao, heading the Madya-as Confederation and as chief of Panay Island, promulgated the famous Code of Kalantiao sometime in 1433. In the Spanish Era, Capiz became the second Spanish Settlement in the Philippines when the Spaniards, under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, entered Pan-ay a town of Capiz, in 1569. May 8, 1570 marked the conquest of Panay and consequently the district of Aklan under the leadership of Martin de Goiti. Capiz was created into separate “encomienda” and later was organized into a politico-military province in 1716, embracing the neighboring islands of Romblon, Nuestra de Campo, Tablas and Sibuyan. Capiz, was not the Capital of the Province then. However, when the Spaniards discovered that Capiz is near the sea and had better docking facilities for their galleons, they move the capital to the present site.

The Americans established a civil government on April 15, 1901. William Howard Taft appointed Simplicio Jugo Vidal as the first Municipal President. On May 12, 1951, the town of Capiz was converted into the City of Roxas, named after one of its most illustrious and famous son – the late First President of the Philippine Republic Manuel Acu a Roxas. In 1954, by virtue of the R.A. 1414, Aklan was separated from Capiz and made into a distinct province. A.Municipality or City

Not long ago after Philippine shores, the Spaniards heard about the settlement at the mouth of Panay, River, the old Capiz Port. The great conquistador, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, came to the settlement from Cebu when he found in the place, hostile natives, lack of food and the Portuguese enemy. This was in 1560, from years after Legaspi landed from Cebu. A sagacious man, Legaspi employed the policy of attraction in Capiz,. He would not use force if he could get what he wanted by peaceful means. After one year he befriend the natives and converted many of them to Christians.

In 1746, Capiz was made the seat of politico-military government although the Bishoprics of Cebu still ecclesiastically controlled it until May 11, 1837 when a Royal decree made the province into an alcadia. In 1757, Capiz town was officially separated from Panay and was made capital of the Province of Capiz. Before the coming of the Spaniards to the Philippines, the existence of a progressive Maryan settlement in Capiz had been known far and wide. This settlement had extensive commercial relation with the islands of Luzon, Masbate, Cebu such as rice, pi a, cloth and wine, minerals were traded for articles brought from these island. During the American regime, several sons of the town of Capiz rose to greatness such as first President of the independent Republic of the Philippines Manuel A. Roxas, Senator Jose Altavas, Antonio Belo and Jovita Fuentes. In April 15, 1942, Japanese invaders took the town of Capiz. The people groaned under the iron hands of the Japanese. But on October, 1945 Capiz was free from Japanese rule. Roxas City, formerly known as the municipality of Capiz, is located along the banks of Panay River. In 1569, the Spaniards settle in the neighboring town of Pan-ay, Capiz. With the discovery of coves and waterways in the vicinity that could serve as gateways for shopping and trade, the capital was moved from Pan-ay Capiz, Capiz. When the Americans came in 1900, they introduced the democratic system of government.

On April 11, 1951, President Elpidio Quirino signed into law Republic Act No. 603 creating the Capital town of Capiz into a city and on May 12, 1951, at become a chartered city named “Roxas City” in honor of the first president of the Republic of the Philippines, President Manuel A. Roxas. One of the tourist attraction of Roxas City is the popular handicraft of various item from floor lamps, chandeliers, able lamps, vases of all size made from translucent, iridescent and pearly Kapiz shells of which Roxas City has in abundance. B.BARANGAY LEVEL

“LAWA-AN”, derived its named from a bountiful and plentiful array of a timber variety of wood a LAWA-AN TREE along th```e hilly and open terrain of the barangay. Once known a high grade variety of wood for export popularly labeled in the late 1730’s as the best lumber being used in the Galleon Trade (Acapulco Trade) during Spanish Time.

Due to massive forested lust-green scenario, early half a dozen of family folks way back 1839, gives birth a name LAWA-AN for their home a better place to live-in, and what is now called a BARAGAY LAWA-AN. It was quoted by late President Manuel L. Quezon in his inaugural speech that “We want our people to grow, and be like the LAWA-AN tree, strong and determined, rising on the hillside and confident of its own strength, which an adopted Brgy. Officials motto, duly registered at the National Historical Institute. Barangay Lawa-an was first headed by “Teneinte del Barrio” from 1930-1955 through appointment and the none-legislative body were also appointed. The first “Teneinte Del Barrio” was Francisco Baquilar followed by Tomas Atienza, Juanilo Ignacio and Juan Esquillo. Demetrio Elauria was the first “Teneinte del Barrio” who was elected through raising of hands or Viva Vota on 1955-1961, he was also the first who had the “Vice Teniente del Barrio” in the person of Claro Arquisola, and the first Barangay Councilors were Juan Elauria, Jesus Danieles, Ricardo Aldea, Antonio Javillo, Leopoldo Ihino and Iluminador Alcorano, the Barangay Secretary was Felipe Acepcion and the Barangay Treasurer was Inocenta Legaspi. Demetrio Elauria, “Teniente del Barrio” 1961-1966 and his Barangay Councilors were Ricardo Aldea, Ramero Bartola, Pablo Aguirre, Jesús Danieles, Iluminador Alcorano and Antonio Javillo, the Barangay Secretary was Felipe Acepción and the Barangay Treasurer was Inocente Legaspi. The second term of Demtrio Elauria being the ”Teniente del Barrio” was on 1966-1972 and his Barangay Councilors were Juan Elauria, Ricardo Aldea, Jesus Danieles, Iluminador Alcorano, Antonio Javillo and Celerino Delandao, the Barangay Secretary was Felipe Acepcion and the Barangay Treasurer was Inocenta Legaspi. Juan Esquillo was next who headed Barangay Lawa-an, he was the elected as the Barangay Captain on 1972-1979 through Black Voting and his Barangay Councilors were Danilo Baes, Rodolfo Alfon, Felizardo Magbanua, Rosa Atinon, Arturo Ignacio and Josephine Laurente, the Barangay Secretary Manuel Manggao and Barangay Treasurer was Lucia Simon. Danilo Baes who became the OIC Barangay Captain on 1979-1982 because he succeeded the term due to the death of Juan Esquillo. His Barangay Councilors were Rodolfo Alfon, Felizardo

Magbanua, Rosa Atinon, Arturo Ignacio, Josephine Baes and Henry Baes (K.B Chairman), the Barangay Secretary was Jose Altavas and the Barangay Treasurer was Lucia Simon. Jeffrey Almalbis became the next Barangay Captain on 1982-1986 and his Barangay Councilors were Rodolfo Alfon, Felizardo Magbanua, Rosa Atinon, Romeo Legaspi, Antonio Bargas and Antonio Danieles, the Barangay Secretary was Henry Baes, the Barangay Treasurer was Alfredo Alovera and Richard Atinon was the K.B. Chairman. Felizardo Magbanua became the OIC Barangay Captain on 1986-1989 who succeeded Jeffrey Almalbis as resigned and his Barangay Councilors were Rodolfo Alfon, Rosa Atinon, Romeo Legaspi, Antonio Bargas, Anotnio Danieles and Antonio Aldea, the Barangay Secretary was Henry Baes and the Barangay Treasurer was Alfredo Alovera. Rodolfo A. Alfon the Punong Barangay 1989-1994 and his Barangay Kagawads were Cezar Begaso, Felizardo Magbanua, Ludivico Atinon, Rogelio Arlante, Thelma Bidiones and Antonio Bargas, the Barangay Secretary was Ike Rodeles, the Barangay Treasurer was Glenn Acepcion and the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman 1992-1996 was Allan Alcorano. Rodolfo Alfon’s second term was on 1994-1997 and his Barangay Kagawads were Rogelio Arlante, Thelma Bidiones, Manuel ALbarece Sr., Stephen Javillo, Celina Bartolo, Juan Elauria , Felizardo Magbanua (1972-1996) and Jesus Magbanua who succeeded the term of Felizardo Magbanua, the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman was Rosely Alfon, the Barangay Secretary was Ike Rodeles and the Barangay Treasurer was Glenn Acepcion. Barangay Lawa-an is 1.5 km. away from the Downtown fountain (in front of Immaculate Concepcion Parish), strategically situated almost in the heart of the city, a fastest economic booming barangay of the city. A highly urbanized, and a commercial-industrial district (6) years from now.