Fernando Lopez
Encyclopedia
Fernando López,Sr. was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López Family of Iloilo
, Fernando López served as Vice President for three terms, under President Elpidio Quirino
(1949—1953) for the Liberals
and Ferdinand Marcos
(1965—1969 and 1969—1972) for the Nacionalista
s.
, Iloilo
to Benito López and Presentación Hofilena. The López family was the richest and influential family in the province.
López studied high school at San Juan de Letran College
, finishing in 1921. He then studied law in the University of Santo Tomas
, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1925. After passing the bar examinations, he did not go into private practice but helped his older brother manage the family business.
In 1945, with no prior political experience, López was picked by President Sergio Osmeña
to be mayor of Iloilo City. In 1947, he ran for Senator and won the election.
López was one of the founders of Iloilo College and the FEATI University
in Manila
.
The López family also owned the Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (the first Filipino owned air service), the Iloilo Times (El Tiempo), the Manila Chronicle
and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, LSC (Lopez Sugar Corporation), Bayantel (including Bayan DSL), SkyCable(including SkyBroadband), Meralco, , RLC (Rockwell Land Corporation), Rockwell Center, First Balfour, Inc., Philippine Electric Corporation (Philec), First Electro Dynamics Corporation (Fedcor), First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. (FSCI), Securities Transfer Services, Inc. (STSI), The Medical City (TMC), BayanTrade DotCom, First Gas Holdings Corporation (Santa Rita), FGP. Corp. (San Lorenzo), FG Hydro Power Corporation (Pantabangan-Masiway), FG Bukidnon (Agusan mini-hydro), Bauang Private Power Corporation (Bauang), Panay Electric Company(PECO), First Philippine Industrial Corporation (the major fuel distributor of Shell and Chevron Caltex in the country), First Philippine Realty Corp, First Philippine Electric Corp. (First Philec),, First Philec Solar Corporation, First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. (FSCI), First Sumiden Realty, Inc, First Philippine Industrial Park
and concurrently worked as secretary of agriculture, serving until 1953. He was then elected once again as senator, and re-elected in 1959.
and won as vice-president. He was re-elected in 1969.
By the time martial law was declared in 1972, the López family fell out of Marcos' favor and was targeted by the dictatorship because of their denunciations of Marcos' corruption. They were also targeted due to their family's political influence, being members of the entrenched oligarchy. The position of vice-president was dissolved, and the López family was stripped of most of its political and economic assets.
He died on May 26, 1993 leaving his wife Mariquit Javellana with whom he had six children Yolanda, Fernando, Jr.(Junjie Lopez), Albertito, Emmanuele, Benito and Mita. He has 19 grandchildren among them Dondi,Andy,Alan, Butch (MONTELIBANO), Fernando III(Henry Lopez), Bettina,Cecilia, Alberto Jr., Melissa, Regina, Roxanne, Rolenda, Rowena, Raphaela, Rebecca, Benjamin all LÓPEZ, Tito and Celine (LÓPEZ), and Panchito Puckett.
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
, Fernando López served as Vice President for three terms, under President Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
(1949—1953) for the Liberals
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
and Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
(1965—1969 and 1969—1972) for the Nacionalista
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party is the oldest political party in the Philippines today and was responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th century since its founding in 1907...
s.
Early life and career
López was born on April 13, 1904 in Iloilo CityIloilo City
The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...
, Iloilo
Iloilo
Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Iloilo occupies the southeast portion of Panay Island and is bordered by Antique Province to the west and Capiz Province and the Jintotolo Channel to the north. Just off Iloilo's southeast coast is Guimaras Province,...
to Benito López and Presentación Hofilena. The López family was the richest and influential family in the province.
López studied high school at San Juan de Letran College
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
, finishing in 1921. He then studied law in the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, earning his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1925. After passing the bar examinations, he did not go into private practice but helped his older brother manage the family business.
In 1945, with no prior political experience, López was picked by President Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña
Sergio Osmeña y Suico was a Filipino politician who served as the 4th President of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was Vice President under Manuel L. Quezon, and rose to the presidency upon Quezon's death in 1944, being the oldest Philippine president to hold office at age 65...
to be mayor of Iloilo City. In 1947, he ran for Senator and won the election.
López was one of the founders of Iloilo College and the FEATI University
FEATI University
FEATI University is a private non-sectarian co-educational higher education institution with a Catholic orientation established in 1946 in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines. FEATI was formerly known as the Far Eastern Aeronautics School.-About FEATI:Dr. Salvador Araneta with his wife Dr...
in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
.
The López family also owned the Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (the first Filipino owned air service), the Iloilo Times (El Tiempo), the Manila Chronicle
Manila Chronicle
The Manila Chronicle was a "quality newspaper" in the Philippines. It was founded in 1945 before World War II. Its founding newspapermen sold the newspaper to Eugenio Lopez. It closed when Martial Law was imposed by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. It was published daily by the Manila Chronicle...
and ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, LSC (Lopez Sugar Corporation), Bayantel (including Bayan DSL), SkyCable(including SkyBroadband), Meralco, , RLC (Rockwell Land Corporation), Rockwell Center, First Balfour, Inc., Philippine Electric Corporation (Philec), First Electro Dynamics Corporation (Fedcor), First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. (FSCI), Securities Transfer Services, Inc. (STSI), The Medical City (TMC), BayanTrade DotCom, First Gas Holdings Corporation (Santa Rita), FGP. Corp. (San Lorenzo), FG Hydro Power Corporation (Pantabangan-Masiway), FG Bukidnon (Agusan mini-hydro), Bauang Private Power Corporation (Bauang), Panay Electric Company(PECO), First Philippine Industrial Corporation (the major fuel distributor of Shell and Chevron Caltex in the country), First Philippine Realty Corp, First Philippine Electric Corp. (First Philec),, First Philec Solar Corporation, First Sumiden Circuits, Inc. (FSCI), First Sumiden Realty, Inc, First Philippine Industrial Park
First Term
In 1949, he became vice-president under President Elpidio QuirinoElpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino was a Filipino politician, and the sixth President of the Philippines.A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered politics when he became a representative of Ilocos Sur from 1919 to 1925. He was then elected as senator from 1925–1931...
and concurrently worked as secretary of agriculture, serving until 1953. He was then elected once again as senator, and re-elected in 1959.
Second and Third Term
In 1965, he ran with Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
and won as vice-president. He was re-elected in 1969.
By the time martial law was declared in 1972, the López family fell out of Marcos' favor and was targeted by the dictatorship because of their denunciations of Marcos' corruption. They were also targeted due to their family's political influence, being members of the entrenched oligarchy. The position of vice-president was dissolved, and the López family was stripped of most of its political and economic assets.
Later life and Death
From 1986 to 1993, he became Chairman of First Philippine Holdings and ABS-CBN and Honorary Chair of FHL Holdings.He died on May 26, 1993 leaving his wife Mariquit Javellana with whom he had six children Yolanda, Fernando, Jr.(Junjie Lopez), Albertito, Emmanuele, Benito and Mita. He has 19 grandchildren among them Dondi,Andy,Alan, Butch (MONTELIBANO), Fernando III(Henry Lopez), Bettina,Cecilia, Alberto Jr., Melissa, Regina, Roxanne, Rolenda, Rowena, Raphaela, Rebecca, Benjamin all LÓPEZ, Tito and Celine (LÓPEZ), and Panchito Puckett.