To be a Lopez of Iloilo in the Year 2007 means Wealth, Style, and Society with the requisite ”Capital S.” But All of That harks back to the Simple Beginnings of one of the most venerable of Filipino Clans some two hundred years ago…
So here we have a transcription of the Oral History, a collection of the affectionate recollections of several, knowledgeable members of the affluent and patrician Lopez Clan of Iloilo, coming from the four corners of the world…
THE FIRST GENERATION
“The progenitors of The Lopez Clan of Iloilo were one Basilio Lopez [ ca. 1800 - 1875 ] and one Maria Sabina Jalandoni y Jaranilla [ 1816 - 1882 ].”
THE SECOND GENERATION
“Basilio Lopez and Sabina Jalandoni had sixteen children: Eulalia, Clara, Eulogia, Eugenio, Gregoria, Estanislao, Marcelo, Claudio, Simon, Agripino, Francisco, Cipriana, Agripino, Eusebio, Ysidora, and Maria, all surnamed Lopez y Jalandoni.”
“Among their sixteen children were Eugenio and Marcelo. Eugenio Lopez y Jalandoni [ 1839 - 1906 ] married Marcela Villanueva y Felipe . Marcelo Lopez y Jalandoni [ 1843 - 1882 ] married Julita Villanueva y Felipe. Two Lopez brothers from Jaro married two Villanueva sisters [ and heiresses ] from Parian [ Molo, Iloilo ].”
“The Villanuevas were already rich when the Lopezes were emergent businessmen. The parents of Marcela and Julita were Don Eusebio Villanueva and Dona Maria Felipe [ of Malinao ], whom they fondly called “Lala.” They had made a fortune in the shipping business.”
THE THIRD GENERATION
“Eugenio Lopez and Marcela Villanueva had sixteen children [ Dona Paz Lopez de Laguda maintained that they were sixteen siblings; various genealogies list only fifteen children ]. Unfortunately, Marcela died young. So the elder daughters like Maria “Bibing” helped their father Eugenio raise the younger children. Although rich, the family lived frugally, and an austere way of life was instilled on the children.”
The sixteen children of Don Eugenio Lopez y Jalandoni and Dona Marcela Villanueva y Felipe were Maria “Bibing” [ 1866 - 1945 ]; Pacifico [ 1867 ]; Eusebio “Sebio” [ 1868 - 1932 ] who married Ana Ledesma y Villalobos [ the parents of Victoria "Vic" Lopez de Araneta ]; Gil ”Tan Gil” [ 1870 - 1946 ] who married Albina “Albin” Hofilena [ the owners of the famous "Hacienda Faraon" in Cadiz, Negros; the parents of the sisters Marcela Lopez de Kabayao, Benita, Honey Lopez de Panganiban, Lawaan, and Fe Lopez de Facultad ]; Eugenio who married Magdalena Ledesma; Rosario ”Sayong” who married Francisco “Paco” Santos; Basilio; Jose Ma.; Benito [ 1877 - 1908 ] who married Presentacion Hofilena y Javelona [ the parents of the tycoon Eugenio "Ening" Lopez and Vice-President Fernando "Nanding" Lopez ]; Vicente “Cente” [ 1879 - 1963 ] who married Elena Hofilena y Javelona [ sister of Presentacion; the couple built the elegant "Nelly Gardens" mansion in Jaro, Iloilo in 1928 ]; Carmen [ 1880 - 1911 ] who married Atty. Salvador Laguda; Ramon who married Amalia Hernaez; Paz [ 1883 - 1955 ] who became the second wife of Atty. Salvador Laguda [ the parents of Congresswoman Hortensia Laguda-Starke ]; Remedios who married Delfin Mahinay; Carlos who married Jovita Deles.
In those olden, and old-fashioned days, Great Fortunes were built on Sheer Frugality. The Iloilo Lopezes, already affluent by the 1860s, lived austerely so as to efficiently manage and expand their businesses, which were the purchase and operations of sugar “haciendas” plantations as well as sugar trading. Sheer Frugality and exceptional business acumen allowed The Family’s continuous purchases of vast tracts of sugar lands in the neighboring islands of Panay and Negros.
Thus, One of the Greatest, and Enduring, of Filipino Fortunes was born…
According to Dona Victoria Lopez de Araneta [ 1907 - 1988 ]: “Of all the houses in the square, the two that my grandparents [ Eugenio Lopez y Jalandoni and Marcela Villanueva y Felipe --- ed. ] owned were the ugliest. They must have been more than 150 years old. While other houses were short and squat, ours were three stories high. These were made from unpolished wood. They marred the uniformity of the plaza’s housing. They were on the first side of the square so that anyone coming into town had the monstrosity as their first impression of the plaza.”
“The posts were tree trunks just as they had been felled from the forest. They were very tall trees because they seemed to have no joints and our houses were three stories high. Grandfather did not have his houses painted. He counted his pennies to be able to send my Uncle Carlos to America to study engineering. Grandfather had fourteen children [ sic; sixteen children --- ed. ]. Grandfather had Chinese blood, I suppose. He had money but spent it sparingly; just look at his unpainted houses.”
“After my birth, my grandparents moved to another building further from the square. Again it was another old house. Uncovered raw posts, unpainted: Grandfather’s mark. This house was only two stories high with the stairs that led down to the street. Below the stairs was a little barber stand with one or two barber chairs.”
“I think the floor was just plain earth. Can’t be certain. But knowing Grandfather, I can say it.” [ from "VLA" by Bettina Araneta Teodoro, 2007; quoted with permission from the author ]
THE FOURTH GENERATION
The Apogee of the Lopez Family of Iloilo was reached with The Life of the extremely accomplished and extraordinarily successful tycoon Don Eugenio “Ening” Lopez y Hofilena. During the prime of his fortunes, He was the most powerful man in the Philippines.
According to Don Eugenio’s first cousin, Dona Victoria Lopez de Araneta: “Ening was the oldest [ ] and the most popular young man in Manila. He had brains and a very shrewd mind and became one of the richest men in Manila, owning the Manila Electric Company in later times. He was my most important cousin because he was Mother’s favorite nephew and could get me permission to go to parties. His younger brother, Nanding, was a happy jolly person who had the knack for making friends, a born politician.” [ "VLA" by Bettina Araneta Teodoro, 2007 ]
While Don Eugenio Lopez, Vice President Fernando Lopez, Dona Victoria Lopez de Araneta, and Congresswoman Hortensia Laguda-Starke represented the popular achievers of The Fourth Generation of Iloilo Lopezes, there was another variety to them — the dreamy, poetic, and lyrical kind — represented by their first cousins the Lopez-Hofilena ladies of “Hacienda Faraon” in Cadiz, Negros: Dona Marcela Lopez de Kabayao, Dona Benita, Dona Honey Lopez de Panganiban, Dona Lawaan, and Dona Fe Lopez de Facultad.
THE UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTERS
Dona Maria “Bibing” Lopez y Villanueva was a financial force within the Lopez-Villanueva Clan. She only wore the color red, for prosperity or to drive away evil spirits we will never know. But despite all the wealth, She had a passing that was less than grand: As She was dying of old age during the American Liberation of 1945, an unusually gallant Japanese soldier took pity on her and carried her on his shoulders to the PGH Philippine General Hospital along Taft Avenue. The irrepressible Dona “Bibing,” who was already blind, mistook the soldier for a Lopez nephew and frankly complained that he reeked of body odor. A doctor at the PGH recognized her and contacted the doctors at the White Cross Orphanage [ of which her niece Victoria Lopez de Araneta was the major benefactress; daughter of her brother Don Eusebio Villanueva Lopez ] — to fetch her. She died at the White Cross and was buried in a black dress borrowed from her niece Mrs. Araneta. [ Victoria Lopez de Araneta memoirs, through Regina Araneta-Teodoro, 2008 ]
In the memories of Dona Lilia Lopez de Jison [ 1912 - 2000 ], her first cousin “Manang Benita” [ 1897 - 1974 ] was the one character of their generation of Lopezes whose delightful doings were worthy of a whole book…
*unfinished*
Nena said,
July 7, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Indeed! We’re proud of who we are and what we’d been doing.
toto gonzalez said,
July 7, 2007 at 4:03 pm
Nena:
Well said!!!
Toto Gonzalez
Garganta Inflamada said,
July 13, 2007 at 7:24 am
How ’bout Don Procopio and Dona Matutina Encarnacion Vda. de Baldeguer Encomienda Zuza-Budarauiz?
I think there should be set quotas to the Don & Dona title(s) per family. Look at the M*rcos-Rom*aldez coven. Why, they’ve got only 1 – old lady Josefa, and that was purely an honorific.
Webster defines a “Don” (and I guess, by extension, a Dona) as title of a Spanish grandee. Therefore, in my book, you should at least have an oil portrait of you mounted on a horse (or vice-versa
) hanging in your living room (or stables) to merit the “Don” title!! Of course, if the wife looked like a horse, then she could qualify, too!! LOL!! LOL!!
G.I.
toto gonzalez said,
July 13, 2007 at 7:58 am
Garganta Inflamada:
Naughty You!!!
I’ll tell you a story: Years ago, when I was compiling the histories of our ancestors under the direction of my uncle Brother Andrew [ who was a very modern, forward-thinking person ], I did not use the terms “Don” and “Dona,” finding them unnecessary and cumbersome. I thought Brother Andrew would agree with my “modern thinking.” Unexpectedly, He did not. He told me that while Not Everyone during the Spanish Era was a “Don” and “Dona,” Those Who Were addressed as such were truly ranking persons in the community, and The Fact must not be trivialized in any modern history, nor the concept corrupted by an “American” frame of mind. I was really surprised.
So unlike your sworn enemies: the M*rcoses and the Rom*aldezes. *lolsz!*
In justice to my Lopez sources, None of Them ever used “Don” and “Dona” in referring to members of their family. As you can see, it is my text which refers to them as such, which they really were anyway: Filipino Patricians of The First Order.
We are fortunate that a private version of their history is being shared. I certainly know that you are enjoying this every bit as I am. After all, you come from similar antecedents, don’t you???
Toto Gonzalez
csodchsldcn said,
July 14, 2007 at 9:33 pm
The marked frugality reminds me of Ilocano “pinakbet.” How much is the Lopez wealth now? Conservatively around half a billion dollars I think.
I’m more interested as to who Gab*y is dating now. It’s all over the papers that Panje*’s selling their house on the hills.
Does anybody know who received some inheritance from the flamboyant Fernando Javellana Lopez Jr.? He who liked cockfighting?
afaceinthecrowd... said,
July 15, 2007 at 7:16 pm
Hello Toto and to all the readers,
From which branch of the family did Don Benito Lopez (Baguio City mayor in the late 40s or early 50s) come from? The Lopezes were among the most prominent families in the city before but sadly, none of them live here anymore. They used to have the best parties and musicals in “Villa Azucena,” their well-appointed South drive house.
toto gonzalez said,
July 17, 2007 at 12:32 am
afaceinthecrowd…:
According to a Lopez lady, Don Benito Lopez, onetime Mayor of Baguio, was the son of Don Vicente Lopez and Dona Elena Hofilena, the couple who built the elegant “Nelly Gardens” mansion in Iloilo.
“”Yes, he was the son of Vicente Lopez and Elena Hofilena. He was the brother of Tita Lil, Elen’s mother.”
“He married three times: Leonor de la Rama, Azucena Perfecto, and Elena Perfecto.”
“He is the father of Hilda Lopez.”"
Toto Gonzalez
zippo said,
July 17, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Heard from the grapevine that Gab*y is secretly dating Toni Gonz*ga (notice how Toni kind of reminds someone of a younger Panje*?). This is, of course, unverified.
Of course, Celin* Lopez is dating the son of “Eminence Gris” himself.
What is interesting, though, is what Vic Agustin wrote in his column yesterday about one of Celin*’s best friends, W*ndy P*yat ( married to Tony H*tung — son of a well-respected Hong Kong industrialist ). Seems like W*ndy H*tung was pictured getting out of the flat, not the gym, of her “gweilo personal trainer.”
Z
afaceinthecrowd... said,
July 17, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Toto:
Oh yes. I believe Don Benito was quite the ladies’ man. Isn’t Elena Perfecto also known as Aurea? Was she not the sister of Azucena Perfecto? It was the talk of the town before… And Who was the close friend of the Italian actress Sophia Loren, was it Leonor de la Rama herself or was it her daughter?
cousin gia said,
July 24, 2007 at 4:17 pm
omigosh toto, you know more about my family tree than i do. no matter how many lopez reunions i’ve attended, i still can’t remember the different branches and who comes from where. you make me feel so ashamed. i’m from the marcelo branch. the lopezes have a truly colorful family tree which i’m sure you’re well aware of — for example a recently deceased fruity uncle who was known for wearing fur coats regardless of iloilo’s heat and humidity, not to mention the experience of riding his extra-stretched limo. perhaps a chapter on what most lopezes have in common — that would really make for lengthy and interesting reading but i’ll probably be disowned so just stick to the funny stuff for example did i ever make you kwento about the funeral of my lolo paquito and after that, the funeral of lola gely. there was this robust woman named amal*a laz*tin and she used to “make balot” food to take home with her during all the nine days of prayer. in the beginning, she would ask for used grocery bags to pack the food in but during the last days of prayer when she noticed the staff would avoid providing her with more than one grocery bag, she brought her own bayongs. on 3 or 4 nights she took home the entire lechon head. the proper ladies of manila society would joke about it aloud “parinig” but deadma si madame bayong. bwahahahaha!!! anyway, i have an interesting story for your “marijuana” chapter so check it out.
Arroyo Sucker Punches Everyone with Assault on Meralco » The Warrior Lawyer | Philippine Lawyer said,
May 5, 2008 at 1:16 pm
[...] of open war against one of the Philippines’ wealthiest and most influential families, the Lopezes of Iloilo province, sugar barons who built a public utilities and media empire across the [...]
Larry Leviste said,
September 18, 2008 at 4:43 pm
zippo is so good with gossip…
Ma. Theresa Lopez-Almarza said,
September 20, 2008 at 11:23 pm
… I’m happy that my surname is Lopez… I’m the daughter of Benito Deles Lopez Sr. and Loreta Zerrodo Daquil… from Lambonao, Iloilo…I’m proud, even though we are not rich and famous as they are…
mark said,
March 27, 2009 at 7:51 pm
a lopez family reunion generally makes a top story. for the most part, people generally mingle or chat with those they know. it would be nice to see oscar lopez on the podium as i saw manong nanding once in jaro, but to mingle and chat with them is way out of my league unless they would come in our direction to shake our hands.
i am proud to be a lopez but i also know my place in society. it’s nice to have rich and famous relatives but if i am to reach out to them they may think i’m a social climber or worse, think i’ll be asking for money.
mark ledesma said,
March 28, 2009 at 4:47 pm
the first and only lopez reunion i attended was way back april 1982 in jaro.
upon reading the genealogy book i thought: “oh my gosh, i’m related to shane cooper and jun-jun gonzaga, both of central lopez.”
mom did tell me at one time that her grandfather was catalino lopez ledesma but she didn’t have a clue as to who were his relatives and he passed on when she was only 6 years old.
mark teves said,
March 28, 2009 at 5:03 pm
must be nice to be born rich! how the other half lives! anyhow with regards to exclusion, some folks shouldn’t be included by virtue of not being a real lopez, right?
let’s take the case of chayong lopez-cooper, the daughter of a “lavandera” who formed part and parcel of central lopez. so the coopers and the pernas should have been excluded.
how about loreto de la paz lopez-gonzaga?
for the most part, the majority of present-day lopezes are far from being rich. the lopez foundation instead of doling out money to “bantay bata” should be doling it out to its less fortunate relatives who cannot even attend a reunion because they don’t have the fare, a ride, a decent place to stay, or even just a dress for the occasion.
MRGL-LL-A-T said,
March 29, 2009 at 7:06 am
Who their mothers were, whether a “costurera,” “cocinera,” or “lavandera,” Rosario “Chayong” Lopez-Cooper, Albina Lopez-Santos, Asuncion Lopez-Lizares, Teodoro Lopez, Trinidad Lopez-Gonzaga, et. al. were TRUE LOPEZES, mothers’ backgrounds being totally immaterial. They inherited
wealth equal to or oftentimes more than those of the legitimate children of their fathers. That was the Lopez way. So what, who cares?
But for all intents and purposes, they were Lopezes, real and bona fide. Their progeny carry on the mantle and they do so with the
grace and courage befitting their forebears. They are hardworking, unpretentious, and ever mindful of their duty to preserve their patrimony.
A Foundation’s purpose is not to give or dole out money to the poor relations, but rather to support the cause/causes for which it
was mandated. The founding fathers of that foundation had their established purpose for which no one can begrudge them for.
Am not going to add on what Jesus said: “The poor you will always have with you…..” as in this era loaded with Schadenfreud
at the misery of others, that would just be more “gatong” to the pyre. But who says it is the duty of the better-off members of the family to dole out to the rest?
kibosh said,
March 29, 2009 at 7:37 am
mark:
“it’s nice to have rich and famous relatives but if i were to reach out to them they may think i’m a social climber or worse, think i’ll be asking for money.”
Usually in family reunions, the affluent branches — oftentimes the organizers and financiers themselves — should take the initiative to greet and meet the less affluent relatives. After all, it is the purpose of a clan reunion for family members to see each other, and enjoy one another’s company, whether they are rich, middle-class, or poor.
I speak from experience.
A-LL-S said,
March 29, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Yes, her mother was a “lavandera” but as my cousin says they are acknowledged within the family as true Lopezes. As a matter of fact, Rosario “Chayong” Lopez-Cooper was adopted by Mama “Bibing” and she inherited her fortune. The Lopezes of that generation didn’t care if one was born outside or inside. The aunts were with them so long as their fathers acknowledged them.
This is where the problem of the Celis family lay. All the time they thought that their grandmother was a Lopez. But, it turned out, her supposed father ( Eugenio Jalandoni Lopez — father of Benito Villanueva Lopez, grandfather of Eugenio “Ening” Hofilena Lopez Sr. ) didn’t claim her. So, nada. They were all hurt when Tita Lil ( Lilia Hofilena Lopez-Jison — daughter of Vicente Villanueva Lopez ) told them that they were NOT Lopezes and therefore excluded from the reunions.
Another case — the Arenases always claimed they were Lopezes. But they had no blood. Presentacion Hofilena-Lopez took Julieta in because she was from Guimaras ( “Roca Encantada” ), the daughter of a peon plus an American / foreigner and looked so pretty, and was taken in. No “sangre de Lopez” – and that is why they are not included in the family tree.
With the Lopezes, it is all about BLOOD!
A-LL-S said,
March 31, 2009 at 2:53 am
Central Lopez was founded by Eusebio Villanueva Lopez, Atty. Salvador Laguda, et. al.. My grandfather’s shares were inherited by my late aunt Sara Montilla, who sold it back to the Central.
As I mentioned before, the papal blessing was for the Lopezes who had Villanueva grandmothers. The blessing was for the Villanuevas ( A*a Ledesma-M*bilangan included ).
Not all the Lopezes are rich especially those from the other branches. The rich and prominent ones descend from the more prosperous children of Eugenio Jalandoni Lopez and Marcela Felipe Villanueva: Maria “Bibing” [ a spinster who left her fortune to selected nieces ], Eusebio “Sebio,” Gil “Tan Gil,” Rosario “Sayong” Lopez-Santos [ childless; left her fortune to selected nieces and nephews ], Benito, Vicente “Cente,” and Paz Lopez-Laguda.
So the commenter’s premise is already wrong as he presumes that all the Iloilo Lopezes are rich. Not true.
aruray said,
April 2, 2009 at 6:50 am
A-LL-S,
I am neither Visayan nor a Lopez, I am Aruray of Pasig.
In my lifetime, I have come across dignified Visayans and you remind me so much of the character of Cherie Gil in Peque Gallaga’s movie “Oro, Plata, Mata.”
An aunt of mine from San Miguel, Manila always said that: “riches are never equated with material wealth but dignity, compassion to your fellow man, and warmth of the heart.”
“Look at the birds in the sky, they neither sow nor reap but God takes care of them.”
tisoy said,
April 15, 2009 at 1:44 am
where and when will be the next lopez reunion? looking forward to see the relatives not only from the industrial/business, politics, or high society but also from the the arts and culture like the highly esteemed international violin virtouso gilopez kabayao and his equally talented wife pianist corazon pineda and thier children sicilienne, farida, and gilberto; audie gemora, etc.
gilopez kabayao trully brought pride and honor to the lopez family….an honoris causa in humanities from UP, a ramon magsaysay award in public service, a presidential medal of honor, etc. looking forward the national artist award bestowed on him very soon!…that will be the first in the long line of lopezes.
missed audie gemora on repertory and trumpet’s productions also! last saw him in the man of la mancha directed by baby barredo.
i always appreciate the efforts of gina lopez in bantay bata, bantay kalikasan, and now with pasig river. i do hope she will also do something to keep the towering acacia trees in katipunan and the balara area. those are wonderful sights to see on my way home.
mike tiongco said,
May 28, 2009 at 6:54 pm
my great lolo’s from villanueva clan from jaro & molo iloilo…
im jst doin a family tree …his name felix garcia villanueva & my great lola’s pura garcia villanueva kalaw …any related to my lolo’s & lola’s
tx
mike tiongco
mike said,
June 13, 2009 at 7:28 am
toto,
100% right about lopez clan & villanueva clan… i ask my mom she said they are related to the lopez clan and they used to go party back then =) with my grandparents…
thank you,
mike