The Roxas Redemption Tour: From Kingmaker to Candidate Seeker

By The Sunriser

For the better part of Capiz’s political history, Roxas was a name whispered in reverence by those hoping for a blessing to ascend the political ladder. The White House in Roxas City, a beacon for hopefuls, saw its doors flung open to a parade of candidates eager to win the favor of the mighty Roxas clan.

But, oh, how the tables have turned.

Today, the winds of change are blowing through the halls of Capiz politics—and they’re blowing Mar Roxas’ son Paolo right into the first district congressional race, armed not just with the legacy of a former president, senator, and interior secretary, but also an attempt at a curious partnership with the administration’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).

Yes, that’s right. The grandson of the Liberal Party’s golden boy was seen knocking at the PFP’s door, hoping for a nomination and a little slice of the ruling party’s goodwill. And yet, in a twist fit for a teleserye, Paolo was politely turned away. It seems the party has other plans for Capiz, particularly in the form of someone else who is a close friend of the presidential son himself.

Was it a calculated move for Paolo to project unity across party lines—a show of reaching across the aisle—or simply the new, humble reality for the Roxases. Once the gatekeepers of Capiz, they’re now the ones courting blessings from power players they once held at arm’s length.

Paolo’s candidacy, part of a grand family tradition stretching back to his great-grandfather, former President Manuel Roxas, brings with it an unspoken mandate: restore the family’s once-unquestioned influence.

But this time, the Roxas name seems more akin to an antique brand. Once a political force that inspired fealty, the family now finds itself in a delicate dance of alliances, seeking support rather than bestowing it.

The irony? Where local politicians once made pilgrimage to the Roxas stronghold, today, it’s the Roxas clan that must humble itself before Capiz’s electorate—and perhaps even knock on a few doors with nervous anticipation.

Mar, the orchestrator of campaigns in yonder days, now sits on the sidelines as his son navigates this new Capiz gauntlet. And perhaps in some twist of irony that’s become political tradition, Paolo finds himself endorsed by Capiz Rep. Emmanuel “Tawi” Billones, a relative (because what’s Philippine politics without a little bit of family drama?)

As Paolo ventures forth with tangled political feet, it begs the question: what is he running on? A name that once commanded loyalty, or a name that now seems to bend whichever way the wind is blowing? In a political landscape where alliances shift with the tides, it seems Paolo has taken a page out of the new playbook: adaptation over legacy.

And so, the tale of Capiz politics unfolds with a fitting sense of irony. The Roxases, once the gatekeepers, now find themselves with outstretched hands, hoping the locals remember the name for more than just the past glories and missteps it carries. After all, in the fickle world of politics, fortune can be a fleeting friend—and, as Mar’s own career has shown, so can political loyalty.