Eugenio Lopez Sr.

Eugenio Hofileña López Sr. (July 20, 1901 – July 5, 1975), also known as Eñing López and Don Eugenio, was a leading figure in the Philippines. He was founder of the Lopez Group of Companies. He belonged to the prominent López family of Iloilo, one of the leading political families in the Philippines.

Eugenio H. López Sr.
Chairman, Chronicle Broadcasting Network (now ABS-CBN Corporation)
In office September 24, 1956 – September 22, 1972
Preceded by	Antonio Quirino (1952–1957; as Chairman of Alto Broadcasting System, later merged with Chronicle Broadcasting Network) James Lindenberg (Bolinao Electronics Corporation)
Succeeded by	Fernando López (reopened ABS-CBN)
Personal details
Born	Eugenio Hofileña López (1901-07-20)July 20, 1901 Iloilo City, Philippine Islands
Died	July 5, 1975(1975-07-05) (aged 73) San Francisco, California, United States
Nationality	Filipino
Spouse(s)	Pacita de Santos Moreno
Children	Eugenio M. López Jr. Oscar M. López Presentacion M. López-Psinakis Manuel M. López Roberto M. López
Occupation	Journalist, broadcaster
Known for	Father of Philippine TV

Personal life

López was born on July 20, 1901 in Jaro, Iloilo City. His parents were Benito Villanueva López, a former governor of Iloilo, and Presentación Javelona Hofileña. He was the older brother and only sibling of former Philippine Vice President Fernando López. He received his education at the Ateneo de Manila where he graduated in 1919, and later the original campus of the University of the Philippines in Manila, where he took up law and graduated in 1923.[1] He earned his master of laws degree from Harvard University.[2]

He was the first president, or "charter president", of the Rotary Club of Iloilo, the third oldest Rotary Club in the Philippines.[3]

Career

López began as a provincial bus operator, and eventually became chairman of the Philippine's largest media conglomerate (ABS-CBN Corporation) and president of the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO). In 1972 he accepted a Distinguished Service Award from the Harvard Business School, but several months later was compelled by President Ferdinand Marcos to sign over his shares in MERALCO, was stripped of his holdings and forced into exile.[4]

Death

His eldest child and heir apparent, Eugenio Lopez Jr., or Geny, was jailed on charges of conspiring to assassinate Ferdinand Marcos. This was carried out by Marcos in order for Don Eñing, who was at that time was in exile in United States to sell his businesses to him, his family and relatives and to his cronies. At one time, Marcos would send the then-Philippine Ambassador to the US, Benjamin Romualdez, a brother of then-First Lady Imelda Marcos, to San Francisco, California, where the elder Lopez was living along with his daughter, Precy and her Greek husband Steve Psinakis, to convince him to relinquish ownership of his businesses in his home country in order for it to sell to his entourage with a promise that his eldest child, Geny, would be released from jail. Don Eñing agreed, but his firstborn would remain in detention. As a result, he was double-crossed by the Marcos regime and his businesses were then completely in their hands. He was later diagnosed with cancer and died on July 5, 1975.

In popular culture

López was portrayed by Armando Goyena in the 1995 film Eskapo.

See also

• Eugenio López Jr.
• Eugenio López III
• Fernando López

References

1. "Lopez Museum: Nostalgia". Lopez Link. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
2. "Eugenio H. Lopez Sr., pioneer and nationalist". Lopez Link. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
3. "TDG consultant inducted 66th RC Iloilo president". The Daily Guardian. July 15, 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
4. McCoy, Alfred W. An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines, 429

Further reading

• McCoy, Alfred W. (2009). "Rent-seeking Families and the Philippine State: A History of the Lopez Family". In McCoy, Alfred W. (ed.). An Anarchy of Families: State and Family in the Philippines. University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN 978-0-299-22984-9.

Preceded by Antonio Quirino (as Alto Broadcasting System)	Chronicle Broadcasting Network Chairman September 24, 1956 – September 21, 1972	Succeeded by Roberto Benedicto (as BBC-2)