Fernando Lopez

Fernando Hofileña López Sr. (April 13, 1904 – May 26, 1993) was a Filipino statesman. A member of the influential López family of Iloilo, he served as Vice President of the Philippines for three terms – under Elpidio Quirino (1949–1953) for the Liberals and Ferdinand Marcos (1965–1969 and 1969–1972) for the Nacionalistas. He was also the chairman of ABS-CBN Corporation from 1986 to his death in 1993.

Fernando López
3rd and 7th Vice President of the Philippines
In office December 30, 1949 – December 30, 1953
President	Elpidio Quirino
Preceded by	Elpidio Quirino
Succeeded by	Carlos P. Garcia
In office December 30, 1965 – September 23, 1972[1]
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Emmanuel Pelaez
Succeeded by	Position abolished Title next held by Salvador Laurel
Senator of the Philippines
In office December 30, 1953 – December 30, 1965
In office December 30, 1947 – December 30, 1949
Mayor of Iloilo City
In office September 26, 1945[2] – December 30, 1947
Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources
In office 1965–1971
President	Ferdinand Marcos
Preceded by	Jose Y. Feliciano
Succeeded by	Arturo R. Tanco
In office December 30, 1949 – December 30, 1953
President	Elpidio Quirino
Preceded by	Placido Mapa
Succeeded by	Placido Mapa
Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources
In office 1965–1971
President	Elpidio Quirino
Preceded by	Placido Mapa
Succeeded by	Placido Mapa
9th Senate President pro tempore of the Philippines
In office 1958–1965
President	Carlos P. Garcia Diosdado Macapagal
Preceded by	Manuel Briones
Succeeded by	Lorenzo Sumulong
Chairman, ABS-CBN Corporation
In office February 28, 1986 – May 26, 1993
Preceded by	Eugenio López, Sr.
Succeeded by	Eugenio López, Jr.
Personal details
Born	Fernando Hofileña López (1904-04-13)April 13, 1904 Iloilo, Iloilo, Philippine Islands
Died	May 26, 1993(1993-05-26) (aged 89) Iloilo City, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Liberal (1945–1953) Democratic (1953–1959) Nacionalista (1959–1971)
Spouse(s)	Mariquit Javellana
Children	6
Occupation	Statesman, politician

Early life and career

López was born on April 13, 1904 in Iloilo City, Iloilo to Benito Villanueva Lopez and Presentacion Javelona Hofileña. He was the younger brother and only sibling of Eugenio López, Sr. The López family was the richest and most influential family in the province.

López studied high school at Colegio de San Juan de Letran, finishing in 1921. He 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 chosen 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 University of Iloilo and the FEATI University in Manila.

The brothers Eugenio and Fernando owned the Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (the first Filipino owned air service), the Iloilo Times (El Tiempo), the Manila Chronicle and ABS-CBN 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.

Vice-Presidency

Vice President Fernando Lopez with President Ferdinand Marcos at the Presidential study.

First Term

In 1949, he became vice-president under President Elpidio Quirino 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 Marcos and won as vice-president. He was re-elected in 1969, making him, to date the only Vice President to serve two non-consecutive terms and under two different Presidents. By the time martial law was declared in 1972, the Lopez family fell out of Marcos' favor and was targeted by the dictatorship because of their denunciations of Marcos' alleged 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 Lopez family was stripped of most of its political and economic assets.

Later life and death

After the removal of Marcos from power in the People Power Revolution of 1986, he became chairman of FHL Investment Corporation and vice-chairman of First Philippine Holdings Corporation.

He died on May 26, 1993 a month after his 89th Birthday leaving his wife Mariquit Javellana with whom he had six children: Yolanda, Fernando, Jr. (Junjie), Alberto (Albertito), Emmanuele, Benito and Mita. He is also the longest living Vice President until he was outlived by Teofisto Guingona Jr in 2017.

References

1. Ratification date of the 1973 Constitution, per Presidential Proclamation No. 1102 issued by President Ferdinand E. Marcos
2. "Appointments and Designations: October, 1945". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 2016-05-31.

Business positions
Preceded by Eugenio López Sr.	ABS-CBN Chairman 1986 – 1993	Succeeded by Eugenio López Jr.
Political offices
Vacant Title last held by Elpidio Quirino	Vice President of the Philippines 1949–1953	Succeeded by Carlos P. Garcia
Preceded by Emmanuel Pelaez	Vice President of the Philippines 1965–1973	Vacant Office abolished; due to martial law Title next held by Salvador Laurel