Contents

Delights Festivals Patron Saints Landmarks Products How to Get There 3 4 5 6 7 8

Delights
Guimaras Capiz
Capiz is known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines due to its abundance in marine life from prawns to crabs, marlins to catfish, and mussels to angel wings (diwal).

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldnt say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide.

Capiz will not only excite your eyes but also your palate with delicacies that would surely make you long for more seafood.

And it comes with its best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to its more caucasian cousin.

Festivals
Manggahan Festival
An identity festival of the Province of Guimaras celebrated every April 16 20 for the sustained promotion of Mango Industry. Varied activities are being showcased depicting the cultural and historical heritage, livelihood, myth and legendary stories portrayed in a cultural showcase, streetdancing and SINADYA (merrymaking).

Sinadya sa Halaran
The Sinadya sa Halaran Festival is the joint festival of the City of Roxas and the Province of Capiz. It is a mixed festival in that it is celebrated for both cultural and religious reasons. It is celebrated every first weekend of December in commemoration of the Feast of the Virgin of the Immaculate Concepcion who also happens to be the patroness of the City of Roxas.

On October 29 to 30, 2004, Capiz inaugurated the Aswang Festival, organized by a nongovernmental group Dugo Capiznon, Incorporated. It was a Halloween-like Fiesta as a prelude to All Souls Day and All Saints Day festivals. It was, however, condemned by the Catholic hierarchy and some local officials, as an act of adoring the devil. When former Capiz Gov. Vicente Bermejo assumed office as mayor of Roxas City in July 2007, the controversial festival was stopped.

Aswang Festival

Patron Saints

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

The Archdiocese of Jaro covers the provinces of Iloilo and Guimaras, an island off Iloilo. San Jose de Antique on Panay, San Carlos in Negros Occidental and Kabankalan in Negros Occidental, are suffragans. Out of a population of 1,761,419, 89% are Catholic. Its titutar patron saint is St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose feast is celebrated on November 17.

Virgin of Immaculate Conception

The patroness of Roxas City, Capiz is the Virgin of Immaculate Conception whose feast day is on December 8. In honor of here, a festival is celebrated every first week of december called the Sinadya sa Halaran festival.

Baybay Beach

Landmarks

Sta. Monica Church

One of the best places in Capiz is the Baybay Beach which is 3 kilometer from the City proper of Roxas, Capiz. It is not a white sand beach but it is admired of the people because of its clean gray sand. It is the best place to hang with friends, make an excursion, get together with the family and the most interesting one, you can have you skim.

Sta. Monica Church is one of the most oldest church in the country it was built on 1774. Which has been called an excellent example of the type of Filipino colonial Baroque style that has blended well with the Neo-Classical Influence. The majestic Baroque influences defined by the use of attached coupled piers in Corinthian style.

Baras Beach Resort

Baras Beach Resort is a great island hideaway in Guimaras. Hidden in a sheltered inlet, its the perfect place to take a relaxing break from the fast paced city life. Upon entering the bay, you will see several cottages built with inspirations of Indonesian architecture each hovering on the coast overlooking the sea and surrounded by verdant foliage.

Products

Capiz Shells

Known as one of the most versatile and elegant decorating raw materials, the Capiz shells are very important part of the culture of the local Capiznon. It is bread and butter source for many locals who engage in developing all sorts of designs for use as ornamental decoration in houses.

Mangoes
Guimaras mangoes are considered as one of the sweetest in the world and the only mango variety in the Country certified as pest-free by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The variety of mangoes produced are also best for making dried mangoes, jams and other delicacies. The best time to enjoy Guimaras mangoes is during the Manggahan Festival held every May 22 to commemorate the provinces charter day.

How to Get There

To Guimaras:
Iloilo City (the gateway to Guimaras) is accessible via a one-hour flight from Manila, or a 35-minute flight from Cebu via Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Airphil Express, Zest Air and just recently, Tiger Airways (SEAIR). Upon landing at the Iloilo Airport, board public van to SM City Iloilo. Fare is Php 50. It is the cheapest way to go to the city proper. Taxis usually charge Php 350. Transfer to a jeepney bound to Mandurriao and askthe driver to bring you where you could ride a tricycle to Ortiz wharf for the pumpboat Board a pumpboat to Jordan. Fare is Php 14. Boats leave every 15 minutes and there are several trips per day.

To Capiz:
Travel time to Roxas City is 45 minutes by plane and around 16 hours by ship from Manila. From Iloilo City, it is approximately 2 hours by bus or private car. There are two (2) airlines operating in Roxas City (RXS): Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific have a daily schedule flight from Roxas-Manila and Manila-Roxas. The primary transportation vehicle used in Roxas City and other municipalities in Capiz is the tricycle. With an eight-peso fare per passenger for the first two kilometers (Minimum) and 50 centavos for succeeding kilometers the tricycle would get you to your destination within the city or municipality in no time at all. Jeepneys rule the provinces highways transporting passengers and cargo from one municipality to another. And then there is the Capiz Cab, the citys new taxi that plies the streets of Roxas City and the 16 municipalities of Capiz with a flag down rate of thirty pesos and a maximum capacity of 5 passengers. Capiz Cabs are the first receipt-issuing, metered taxis in the Philippines apart from those operating out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. As of now, there are 5 Capiz cabs that operate in the province.