Eugenio Lopez Jr.
Eugenio Moreno López Jr. (4 November 1928 – 28 June 1999), popularly known as Geny López, was the chairman emeritus of ABS-CBN Corporation from 1997 to 1999. He was known within the López Group of Companies as "Kapitán" (Filipino for "Captain"). His great-grandfather Eugenio J. López (1839-1906) was known as "Kapitán Eugenio" ("Captain Eugenio") during his time.
His Excellency Eugenio "Geny" M. Lopez Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Chairman, ABS-CBN Corporation | |
| In office 26 May 1993 – 26 May 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Fernando López |
| Succeeded by | Eugenio López III |
| President/CEO, ABS-CBN Corporation[a] | |
| In office 24 September 1956 – 26 May 1993[b] | |
| Succeeded by | Eugenio López III |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eugenio Moreno López 4 November 1928 Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippine Islands |
| Died | 28 June 1999 (aged 70) Hillsborough, California, United States |
| Resting place | Manila Memorial Park, Parañaque, Philippines[1] |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Spouse(s) | Conchita La'O |
| Children | Eugenio "Gabby" López III Regina Paz L. López Maria Rosario L. López Rafael Kevin L. López Roberta Pilar L. López Ernesto Miguel L. López Ramon Javier L. López |
| Occupation | Chairman, ABS-CBN Corporation; Businessman |
| Notes | |
Early life
He was born as Eugenio Moreno López in 1928 in Iloilo City. His parents were Eugenio H. López Sr. and Pacita Moreno. He is a nephew of former Philippine Vice President Fernando H. López Sr.. He was educated at San Beda College, the Ateneo de Manila, Virginia Military Institute where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, and Harvard University where he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.[2]
In 1956, he purchased equipment for the radio and television stations of ABS-CBN Corporation, which his father owned. He would later lead ABS-CBN as its president until 1972. His father remained as the chairman and CEO.
Career
Geny, as Lopez was fondly called, being the eldest child in the family was groomed by his father Don Eñing to be his successor for his business empire, including ABS-CBN. In doing so, Don Eñing was very hard on him and he worked harder to live up to his father's expectations. At that point, Don Eñing also owned the Manila Electric Company, the biggest power distributor in the country and the Manila Chronicle, a newspaper publishing company. Don Eñing also owned vast haciendas of sugar lands in Western Visayas and a recognized chieftain of businessmen involved in sugar industry.
On 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos imposed Martial Law in the country. Soon after that, the Lopezes themselves became victims of Martial Law. In November of that year, two military officers visited Lopez at his Meralco office in Pasig City and invited him to Malacanang Palace, the President's official residence and office. Unknown to him, he was brought instead to the headquarters of the Presidential Security Command within Malacanang compounds. There, he was accused of conspiring with Sergio Osmeña III of attempting to assassinate Marcos. Osmeña, fondly called Serge, was the son of then Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr., a political rival of Marcos in 1969 elections and a grandson of former President Sergio Osmeña. During their incarceration, Serge and Geny became close friends and were soon transferred in the Maximum Security Unit in Fort Bonifacio, the headquarters of the Philippine Army in Makati City.
In 1973, with a promise by Marcos to release Lopez on the condition that Don Eñing give up some of his big businesses and turn over such to him, his family and his cronies. Thus, Don Eñing relinquished ownership of these businesses to Marcos. However, Lopez was not released and Don Eñing was double-crossed. Don Eñing died in exile in the United States in 1975.
In November 1974, Lopez embarked on a hunger strike along with Osmeña to protest the unjust detention of thousands of innocent Filipinos. This resulted in the release of 1,022 political prisoners in December 1974. Defiant to the very end, Osmeña and Lopez escaped from their maximum security prison cell in Fort Bonifacio on October 1, 1977. They immediately went into exile in the United States.
In exile, they became the directors of the Movement for a Free Philippines, an organization of anti-Marcos Filipinos in the United States that seeks for peaceful restoration of democracy in the Philippines. After the People Power Revolution, he re-acquired ABS-CBN and re-established it to become a prominent media conglomerate in the Philippines.
In 1995, the Gawad Geny Lopez Jr. Bayaning Pilipino Awards was formed by Lopez and his friend Fr. Nilo E. Tanalega, S.J. of UGAT Foundation, Inc., and named after him. The awards was given to the heroes and achievers in the society.
In 1996, after grooming his eldest child, Eugenio "Gabby" Lopez III to be his successor in ABS-CBN, just like his late father did to him before, Geny retired from corporate business life and let Gabby be the chairman/CEO. His second brother, Oscar, took over the leadership of the Lopez Group, which has supervision over the Lopez-owned companies from him and his third brother, Manuel became the chairman and CEO of Meralco, which he previously held.
Death
López died of cancer on June 28, 1999 in Hillsborough, California, six months before the inauguration of the Millennium Transmitter and the new office building and studio annex of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center. The office building was named in his memory.
In popular culture
López was portrayed by Christopher de Leon in the 1995 film Eskapo.
References
- "Our Heritage and the Departed: A Cemeteries Tour". Presidential Museum & Library (Philippines). Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
- Brazil, Eric (2 July 1999). "Eugenio Lopez, Philippine mogul". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
| Preceded by First |
ABS-CBN Chairman-Emeritus May 26, 1997 – June 29, 1999 |
Succeeded by Vacant |
| Preceded by Fernando H. López |
ABS-CBN Chairman May 26, 1993 – May 26, 1997 |
Succeeded by Eugenio L. López III |
| Preceded by First |
ABS-CBN President September 24, 1956 – September 21, 1972 |
Succeeded by Vacant |
| Preceded by Vacant |
ABS-CBN President/CEO February 28, 1986 – March 26, 1993 |
Succeeded by Eugenio L. López III |