Chino Roces

Chino Roces
Born
Joaquin Pardo Roces

(1913-06-29)June 29, 1913
DiedSeptember 30, 1988(1988-09-30) (aged 75)
NationalityFilipino
Known forFounder of Associated Broadcasting Corporation
Former owner of The Manila Times
SpousePacita Carvajal
Children3, including Edgardo

Joaquin "Chino" Pardo Roces (June 29, 1913 – September 30, 1988) was a Filipino businessman and newspaper publisher. He was best known for being the founder of the Associated Broadcasting Corporation (now known as TV5) and a former owner of The Manila Times, as well as his staunch opposition of the administration of Ferdinand Marcos.

Early life

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Roces was born on June 29, 1913, to Alejandro "Moy" Roces and Antonia "Nena" Pardo from San Miguel, Manila. [1] He had seven siblings: Ramón Roces, Filomena "Nenita" Roces de Verzosa, Isabel "Bebeng" Roces, Mercedes Roces, Rafael "Tuti" Roces, Antonia "Chucha" Roces de Prieto and Marcos "Taling" Roces.

He studied at the Ateneo de Manila University for high school.[1] He started his journalism career some time after.

Media career

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He started his publishing career at his father's newspaper chain TVT (Tribune - La Vanguardia - Taliba) before World War II.[1] Don Chino later headed the Roces family media empire composed of newspapers The Manila Times, Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Taliba, Women's Magazine Variety, and the Associated Broadcasting Corporation, which first consisted of radio stations DZMT-AM, DZTM-AM, and DZWS-AM and the television station DZTM-TV. He also organized media groups, the Philippine News Agency (PNA), and Philippine Press Institute.

Roces was arrested and jailed when Martial Law was imposed in 1972, together with Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., José W. "Ka Pepe" Diokno, who is the father of human rights, and Lorenzo M. "Ka Tanny" Tañada Sr. and other journalists.[1][2] As soon as he was released, he took to the streets to openly protest the Marcos government.[2] After the assassination of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. in 1983, he further intensified his protest and during a vigil on Mendiola Bridge, Roces was drenched by water cannons.[2]

On October 15, 1985, Roces founded the Cory Aquino for President Movement (CAPM) at the National Press Club.[3] He gathered over one million signatures from all over the nation to draft Corazon Aquino to run against Marcos.[1][4][5][2]

After the EDSA revolution in 1986, he returned to publishing, first joining forces with Geny Lopez at the Manila Chronicle, and then later once more the publisher of the family owned The Manila Times.[6]

On July 22, 1988, President Aquino conferred on him the Philippine Legion of Honor Award (degree of chief Commander), the highest honor the country can bestow on a civilian.[7][8][2]

Personal life

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He was married to Dona Pacita Carvajal and had four children namely: Joaquin "Joaqui" Roces Jr., Arturo Roces, Edgardo "Eddie" C. Roces, and Rocio Rosalinda Antonia Roces.

Death and legacy

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A statue of Roces presently stands at Mendiola Street in Manila.

He died of cancer on September 30, 1988, at the age of 75 in Manila, Philippines.[9]

In that same year, Pasong Tamo Street, one of the main roads in Makati, was renamed Chino Roces Avenue in his honor.[10]

In 1992, Roces was honoured at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani memorial located in Quezon City which honors personalities that helped restored Philippine democracy and their opposition to the martial law regime.[11]

A statue of Roces is presently erected on the north end of Mendiola Street, one of the main thoroughfares of Manila which has renamed as the Don Chino Roces Bridge in honour of the late journalist.[12]

In 2018, the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board (HRVCB) formally recognized Roces and 126 other individuals as a motu proprio victim of human rights violations committed under the Marcos Sr. dictatorship.[13]

Legacy

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "About Chino Roces". Roces: A Tradition in Philippine Print Media. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Joaquín Chino Roces". Bantayog ng mga Bayani. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "The Events Surrounding the 1986 Snap Elections". Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission. February 12, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "From Housewife to President: The Story of Cory Aquino". Martial Law Museum. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  5. ^ Duka, Cecilio (2008). Struggle for Freedom. Manila: Rex Bookstore. p. 323. ISBN 978-971-23-5045-0. Retrieved June 9, 2024 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "History of Journalism in the Philippines: Contemporary Times". Roces: A Tradition in Philippine Print Media. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  7. ^ "Briefer on the Philippine Legion of Honor". Official Gazette. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  8. ^ "OPINION". Manila Standard. July 28, 1988. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  9. ^ "Joaquin Roces Is Dead; Aquino Backer Was 75". The New York Times. October 1, 1988. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Roa, Ana (March 30, 2019). "Evolution of Chino Roces". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Cabato, Regine D.; Sayson, Frances P. (September 11, 2014). "Braving the storm". The Guidon. Ateneo de Manila University. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  12. ^ Manalo, Merlinda; Calalo, Arlie; Burgos, Jun; Antolin, Arkhon (November 4, 1992). "FVR to DILG, PNP: Widen probe on 'tong' racket". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 14. Retrieved November 2, 2021. ... the Don Chino Roces bridge (formerly Mendiola) near the Malacañang Palace.
  13. ^ "Official List of Recognized Motu Proprio Human Rights Violations Victims". Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission.

See also

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