Roxas City Hall

Decidedly my first choice building to 'look and see' since on its right side is where you enter the city plaza from the beach and airport. Trike driver let me off on a busy part of that street (near the tourist kiosk) where I had a direct front view of the building. Hey I usually don’t have many good things to say about city halls that are mere modern blocks of concrete with no artistic or cultural hints. But with this one, I even caught myself exclaiming WOW!

Just look at the façade, its nothing really fantastic, right? Other than those 4 ornamental whatevers (colored white), everything is just plain modernistic yellow-painted cemento, right? But this city hall is 3 floors when most I see are just 2 floors so it got me curious. It looks big and tall, that’s why I went a bit closer – yep, I went up those stairs and entered the lobby! Something else got me even more curious in there – the side opposite main entrance was sunny bright and I could see trees. Hmm, was that already the length or width of this building? I couldn’t believe! So I inched further inside and realized that this building is like a school quadrangle. Whoa, big really! And airy and functional – with many areas for the waiting public to rest since the middle is like a garden. And, not to mention there are 3 floors – am not sure if there’s a roof deck.

Yan ang munisipyo!

Eh wait! So you thought the mayor is frugal and only thinks of functionality without form? Nah, this is still Ilonggo country and they cannot be left behind! Look closely at the 2nd floor above the foyer. I asked some young policemen and they told me that’s the mayor’s office. If you still don’t see it, the terrace is glass walled (or is it glass fenced?)! Sosyal di ba?! Parang mall hehe!

I like this city hall, actually. Even if those 4 white ornate things do not seem to belong, the totality if the building is a look of functionality with ‘extravagance’ (if we can call it that) subtly hidden since it is made of clear and transparent glass!

'Tahum ah!