Chino Roces

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 Roces was born on June 29, 1913, to Alejandro "Moy" Roces and Antonia "Nena" Pardo from San Miguel, Manila. 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. As soon as he was released, he took to the streets to openly protest the Marcos government.

In May 1985, Roces was elected to the national council of the newly established Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). On September 28, 1985, in the aftermath of the Escalante massacre that involved several victims who were members of Bayan, Roces began a Fund Drive for Escalante. On October 15, 1985, Roces founded the Cory Aquino for President Movement (CAPM) at the National Press Club. He gathered over one million signatures from all over the nation to draft Corazon Aquino to run against Marcos.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Legacy