April 15 is Roxas Day
Roxas City -- A theater production depicting the life of President Manuel A. Roxas will be staged at the Roxas Monument here at sundown of April 15 to commemorate the 60th death anniversary of Capiz's most illustrious son.
The production dubbed "Manoling" is a tribute to Roxas who was the last President of the Philippine Commonwealth and the first President of the Philippine Republic.
Roxas, fondly called as Manoling, was the first bar topnotcher from the University of the Philippines (UP) and elected Capiz governor at age 27 in 1919.
He also served as the province's first congressional district representative and senator before elected as the country's highest ranking official from 1946 until his untimely death on April 15, 1948.
The death anniversary of Roxas also marks the foundation day of Capiz by virtue of Act No. 115 issued in 1901.
A wreath laying ceremony and program have been set by the provincial and city governments at the Roxas monument to mark the occasion.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared April 15 as a special holiday throughout the province through Republic Act No. 9217.
RA 9217 also known as President Manuel A. Roxas Memorial Day Act was principally authored by then Capiz Congressman Rodriguez Dadivas for Capiceños to reminisce the life, ideals and principles espoused by statesman Roxas.
The law assigns the nearest Friday to April 15 as a special non-working holiday in the entire province and city, April 18 for this year, to give the people a chance to ponder on the unselfish acts of Roxas. (PIA)