Recently, two representatives of Capiz filed a bill to rename Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital (RMPH) as Capiz Medical Center.
This came in the wake of the defeat of Paolo Roxas, the eldest son of former Sen. Mar Roxas, in the first district of Capiz against Howard Guinto, a former party list representative who hails from Pampanga, but has roots in Capiz on his mother’s side. The first district of Capiz had been dominated by the Roxas family since the 1950s: former Senators Gerry Roxas and Mar Roxas, Rep. Dinggoy Roxas, and their allies and relatives—the Arnaldo-Acuna-Alba-Dadivas-del Rosario-Billones families.
It has been humanity’s tradition to name places or infrastructure after heroes and icons, or erect statues of them in public spaces as a way of commemorating and extolling the greatness of their deeds in the service of the nation.
For example, Capiz, the capital town of the province, was renamed Roxas City in honor of former President Manuel Roxas. In the same vein, the Capiz Provincial Hospital was renamed Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital. Before he became president of the republic, Manuel Roxas had distinguished himself in various capacities.
After he topped the bar examinations in 1913, the first time that a graduate of the College of Law of the University of the Philippines wrested the honor from the University of Santo Tomas and the Philippines Law School, Roxas was elected councilor of Capiz town in 1917.
He was elected governor of the province in 1919, and in 1922, he was elected to the House of Representatives and served as its Speaker for 12 years. In 1934, he was elected a delegate to the Constitutional Convention. In 1935, he was elected assemblyman, and In 1945, he served as Senate president. In intervening years, he also served as executive secretary, finance secretary and as a general in the Philippine military.
As he fought for our independence from the United States, he was dispatched by then President Manuel Quezon to the US Congress to facilitate passage of the law granting independence to the Philippines.
Such awesome credentials in the service of the Filipino people. And you want to obliterate such a noble name appended to a health facility when said name had been engraved, nay, rooted in the grateful minds and hearts of the Filipino people?
This tradition was fully understood by President Marcos when he torpedoed the proposal to rename Ninoy Aquino International Airport as Manila International Airport. And to think that Aquino was an archenemy of the father of Mr. Marcos. The President’s resolve to retain “Ninoy Aquino” on our premier airport is a masterclass act—statesmanship of the highest order. It behooves Filipinos to respect and honor predecessors who have done great deeds to our land even if they happen to be political enemies.
Ti diri ya sa Capiz, baylohan ang RMPH sang Capiz Medical Center. Kwan guid, petty politics! Bugtaw Kapisnons! Be aware and vigilant of our heroic tradition!
Edward B. Contreras, Roxas City, Capiz
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