05/06/2026
The Capiz Motor Bus Co., Inc. holds a prominent place in the pre-World War II transportation history of Panay Island in the Philippines.
The open-air charabanc-style bus pictured in the original photograph from the early 1930s era, capturing the very fleet that defined northern Panay's roads during the dawn of regional Philippine bus transit.
Here is the history of the company:Foundation (1932):
The company was launched in 1932 by Miguel Borja, a 30-year-old Tagalog entrepreneur. Borja had previously mastered the operational dynamics of the transit industry while working at the Pangasinan Transportation Company (Pantranco) under its American founder, Frank Klar. Humble Beginnings to Rapid Expansion: Borja started the Capiz Motor Bus Company with a fleet of just three second-hand units. Through aggressive business expansion, he rapidly grew his fleet to 65 buses and bought out most of the smaller, independent local operators in the northern region of Panay.
The 1934 Merger: At the time, the largest transit entity on the island was Panay Autobus, established in 1930 by an American entrepreneur named William C. Ogan. Following a series of bitter labor strikes and operational difficulties throughout 1934, Ogan agreed to merge Panay Autobus with Borja's Capiz Motor Bus Company. Becoming a Regional Giant: The terms of the merger favored Borja, making him the general manager and the majority shareholder of the unified company.
By 1937, this consolidated regional powerhouse operated a massive fleet of over 300 buses, effectively controlling the island-wide transit network.
The Lopez Family Acquisition (1937–1938): The company's massive footprint and profitability attracted the attention of the prominent Lopez brothers (Eugenio and Fernando Lopez), who already operated the Iloilo Transportation Company. Seeking to expand their transit footprint into the rural countryside, the Lopezes engaged in a protracted legal and corporate battle to take over the firm. By 1938, the Lopezes successfully acquired Borja’s shares, absorbing the company into their expanding business empire shortly before the outbreak of World War II.
regeremce/s: Research Center for Iloilo (https://vicilongo.weebly.com/about-the-author.html)
