The driving forces behind the exhibition ‘The Patrimony of All: Ang Panublion Sang Tanan’ (l-r): LGFI trustee Narzalina Lim, Sen. Franklin Drilon, Rosalie Treñas, UPV chancellor Dr. Clement Camposano and LGFI president and executive director Cedie Lopez VargasAFTER years in hibernation, selected masterpieces by Philippine art exemplars Juan Luna, Félix Resurrección Hidalgo, Fernando Amorsolo and Juan Arellano, from the collection of the Lopez Museum and Library (LML) are put on exhibition at the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage from Nov. 25, 2024 to April 25, 2025.

Patrimony as exhibit

Entitled “The Patrimony of All: Ang Panublion Sang Tanan,” the exhibit features 16 pieces from the late 19th century to the early part of the 20th, carefully curated to show what the artists “saw and felt around them… [layering] their distinct visions of colonial allegory, the native sunlight, and the dreamwork of the primeval and the future” (Flores, curatorial text).

The exhibit was a monumental feat in and of itself—the culmination of five years of perseverance, hard work and collaboration among a corporate foundation, an educational institution, a city government, a museum and library, two senators, a former tourism secretary and a slew of culture and arts advocates.

It was Sen. Franklin Drilon’s relentless efforts that turned this dream into a marvel to behold. His painstaking work of five years came to fruition helped by the brilliant maneuvering of stakeholders by former Sec. Narz Lim, who tapped into the Iloilo City government under the helm of Mayor Jerry Treñas, the creative direction of UP Visayas director for initiatives for culture and the arts Martin Genodepa and the support of Sen. Loren Legarda. As stewards of the Lopez history and legacy of philanthropy in Iloilo, Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) pulled in the LML to promote cultural history as an expression of nationalism.

But there are other stories, other patrimonies to be told.

Patrimony as legacy

Certainly, the exhibit is a celebration of cultural history and art; but it is also a testament to the belief in the primacy of Philippine art and culture— a belief that Don Eñing Lopez held and shared with his son Oscar as they built an impressive collection of Filipino paintings and Filipiniana rare books, manuscripts and maps. Now, four generations on, what has become of this keen sense of cultural preservation and enduring spirit of nationalism?

As family and folk flocked to the opening of the exhibition in November, a seventh-generation Lopez shares his thoughts about his visit to Iloilo.

“It brought a sense of warmth and familiarity, like homecomings do,” says Javier Emmanuel Vargas or Marco, youngest son of Mercedes “Cedie” Lopez Vargas (MLV), daughter of Oscar. “But it also sparked reflection and gratitude, deepening my awareness of my family’s history and the role Iloilo plays in our collective story.

“Visiting the old Lopez ancestral house in Jaro was a powerful reminder of my family’s deep roots in this place. Walking through the Boat House, seeing the preserved structure and imagining the lives that once filled those spaces gave me a stronger connection to my family’s past. It felt like stepping into a living narrative where every corner had a story to tell. I realized this house wasn’t just a historical site—it was a part of my family’s identity, a tangible link to the past that still holds relevance today. I felt my family’s shared heritage and history with Iloilo.”

In fact, Iloilo became the place that the heart called home, such that when Oscar was in the hospital, weak from all his ailments, he was heard to have asked, “When I get out of here, can I go visit Iloilo?”

This love affair with Iloilo dates back to the 1800s when the Lopezes first took root. They trace their ancestry to Basilio Lopez, who was one of the first entrepreneurs who brought dynamism and prosperity to the Jaro-Molo area. He too, would be elected gobernadorcillo or mayor of Jaro in 1850. His eldest son was the first Eugenio Lopez, who with his brother Claudio organized a family relief operation when a province-wide famine struck in the 1870s. Eugenio also became gobernadorcillo. His son, Benito, followed in their footsteps and became governor of Iloilo.

This entrepreneurial spirit tempered by a social duty to the public good has come to be the hallmark of the Lopez enterprise. Thus, when the second Eugenio Lopez (aka Don Eñing or Eugenio Sr., grandson of the first Eugenio) founded the Lopez Group of companies in the 1920s, it came with the same fervor of providing services that would uplift the Filipino through pioneering enterprises.

Alongside setting up the power and media enterprises, Don Eñing deemed it as important to preserve and promote Philippine arts and letters. Through book-hunting trips abroad, he had amassed an enviable collection of rare Filipiniana books, Rizal memorabilia, colonial maps of the Philippines and masterpieces of Luna and Hidalgo. He believed that art and culture play a significant role in instilling Filipino pride and spirit and, more importantly, he wanted to share this with the Filipino people.

By the 1960s, the LML would be established, which would usher in a legacy of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) long before the concept was invented. It paved the way for the setting up of a network of advocacy-led foundations and CSR programs in pursuit of various social development initiatives, many of which found their way back home to Iloilo.

Patrimony as commitment

“Crawling the old streets and sites of our hometown, I realized that there is so much more to Iloilo than the memories I had from childhood visits,” Marco recounts, having joined a heritage tour organized by LGFI in which to immerse one’s understanding and appreciation of this shared history and legacy of philanthropy of the Lopezes with Iloilo. A visit to historical museums and heritage homes brought into perspective how economic development was intricately intertwined with familial life and history. It was as if the personal was of national import and vice versa. The two were almost synonymous or interchangeable.

As Marco realizes, “these connections give us a sense of belonging and identity, something that modern life often lacks. What used to be mere stories of the past now had a new layer of meaning that I had never fully appreciated before. There is a profound legacy that lives on and is worth investing in, for it is an investment in memory, identity, community, and a source of pride. In fact, it is not just an investment, it is a responsibility to uphold.”

Apart from the preservation and promotion of Philippine art and culture, Don Eñing began implementing a diverse range of CSR initiatives that have served as stepping stones for the Lopez Group’s CSR efforts over the decades. These included educational empowerment and the betterment of educational infrastructure, provision of social services toward family strengthening, and employee welfare.

The next generations of Lopezes would take this legacy, guided by the same values, and enrich it further with their own vision of philanthropy— Don Eñing’s son, Oscar, in particular, would bring love and care for the environment into the equation; while Don Eñing’s granddaughters (Gina Lopez, Rina Lopez and MLV) would carry forward the work in social services, education, and arts and culture while innovating these advocacies by imbuing the business enterprises with philanthropic aims. With their efforts, they put strategy into philanthropy and gave new meaning to CSR as more than the social license to operate, but the socially responsible business model in which to operate.

Through eight generations of Lopezes, the Lopez Group stands proud today with nine corporate foundations and 16 corporate CSR programs coordinated through LGFI. But the vision, the mission and the values remain as they were first imagined over 150 years ago.

Marco could not help but reflect: “What stood out to me was how Iloilo is moving forward while still holding on to its past and heritage. The city strikes a unique balance between progress and preservation. Modern developments, such as the growth of business districts and contemporary infrastructure, stand alongside beautifully maintained heritage sites. This blend of old and new demonstrates a commitment to honoring the past while embracing the future. It felt like a powerful reminder that progress doesn’t have to come at the expense of history. Iloilo has found a way to protect its cultural treasures while still creating space for growth and innovation. It is a prime example of how progress and heritage can coexist.

“Seeing how Iloilo has embraced this balance makes me believe our family’s legacy here should be nurtured and preserved. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t have to erase history; it can be built upon. This legacy isn’t just a family matter; it’s part of a larger cultural heritage that deserves to be honored and shared.

“Experiencing Iloilo this way was made even more special because I had my wife with me. This is her first time in Iloilo. Sharing this place’s beauty, history and essence with her added a new layer of meaning to the journey. It became not just a return to my roots but also a way of bridging my past with my present and future. I am humbled by this newfound appreciation for our shared patrimony, but I am also filled with gratitude and honor to be a bearer of this responsibility to uphold a legacy that the next generations of Lopezes can be proud of.”

Guests include (seated, l-r) Mila Drilon, Sen. Drilon, Ambeth Ocampo; (standing, l-r) Daniel Johannot, Petty Johannot and Pablo Tariman

Family and friends hop on a guided tour of three museums: the Museum of Philippine Economic History (where photo was taken), the Museum of Philippine Maritime History and the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (l-r): Marco Vargas, Tisha Vargas, Dang Red, Luis Carlo San Juan, Lisa Periquet, Rina Lopez, Petty Johannot, Daniel Johannot, Louie Bate, Liza Bate, Troi Barrios and Mamou Montero

Family members uphold the Lopez family’s legacy of philanthropy and patrimony during the launch of the exhibition (l-r): Jay R. Lopez, Bettina Osmeña, Beaver Lopez, Rina Lopez, Vargas, Marco Vargas, Tisha Vargas, Sarah Peña and Judgee Peña

The Lopez Boat House, the ancestral home of the Lopez family, opened its doors to family and friends who joined the exhibition’s launch the next day

Marco Vargas entertains guests at the Lopez Boat House: ‘It felt like stepping into a living narrative where every corner had a story to tell’

The first Eugenio Lopez and his wife Marcela Villanueva, grandparents of the second Eugenio aka Eugenio Sr. or Don Eñing (PHOTO BY: LOPEZ MUSEUM AND LIBRARY ARCHIVES)

‘The Patrimony of All’ celebrates Filipino artistic and architectural heritage and runs until April 25 at the UPV Museum of Art and Cultural Heritage in Iloilo City

Installation of the works of Félix Resurrección Hidalgo, one of the Filipino masters on display at the UPV

Now a century old, the Lopez ancestral home in Iloilo City still opens its doors to guests to let them experience what a heartwarming homecoming truly feels like

View from the second floor of the Lopez Boat House highlighting its heritage staircase, like a window to the past generations of Lopezes that walked its halls

One of the many social development initiatives of the Lopez family in Iloilo (PHOTO BY: JANICE BUSLI, THE NEWS TODAY HTTP://WWW.THENEWSTODAY. INFO/2007/02/26/EUGENIO.LOPEZ.SR.GK.VILLAGE.HTML

(Story by:Lopez Group Foundation Inc.)

(Photos by:COLORGRADE STUDIOS)