Fernando Lopez served as vice president of the Philippines for three terms under two different presidents from two different political parties, making him the only vice president to do so. He came from a wealthy and influential family in Iloilo and helped manage the family business after graduating from law school. Lopez also founded two universities and helped establish many businesses under the Lopez Group. After being removed from office during martial law, Lopez regained prominence after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted and led companies under the First Philippine Holdings Corporation until his death in 1993.

1. Vice President of the Philippines
Fernando Lopez

2. Fernando Lopez
• Fernando Hofileña Lopez Sr. KGCR (April 13,
1904 – May 26, 1993) was a Filipino statesman. A
member of the influential Lopez 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.

3. Early life and career
• Lopez was born on April 13, 1904, in Jaro, Iloilo City to Benito
Villanueva Lopez and Presentacion Javelona Hofileña. He was the
younger brother and only sibling of Eugenio Lopez Sr. The Lopez
family was the richest and most influential family in the province.
• Lopez 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, Lopez was chosen by
President Sergio Osmeña to be mayor of Iloilo City. In 1947, he ran for
senator and won.

4. • Lopez 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.

5. Vice-presidency
• In 1949, Lopez 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 (1965–1972)
• In 1965, Lopez 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, two different presidents and from
different parties. By the time martial law was declared in 1972, the
Lopez family fell out of Marcos' favor and was targeted by the regime
because of their denunciations of Marcos. The position of vice-
president was abolished, and the Lopez family was stripped of most of
its political and economic assets.

6. Later life and death
• After the removal of Marcos from power as a result of
the People Power Revolution of 1986, Lopez 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 was also
the longest living vice president until he was surpassed
by Teofisto Guingona Jr. in 2017.