Iloilo-Negros Air Express Company (INAEC) looms large in the narrative of Philippine aviation as the country’s very first airline, as well as one of Asia’s first. Despite his own lack of experience in the industry, Eugenio H. Lopez Sr. was emboldened by his belief that “there is nothing impossible in this world.” True enough, less than a year after the flight in Java that gave him the brainstorm, Don Eñing’s very own airline took off from historic Fort San Pedro in Iloilo to Manila. For INAEC, the ride has been long and bumpy, and it even experienced being “grounded” for a time. But at 80 years old, the company, now INAEC Aviation Corporation, is surely here to stay.

Lopez Group chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez (OML) was recently at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City to share the Lopez Values in a talk before the Command and General Staff Course class composed of 157 student-officers. He discussed how the values, an important legacy of Lopez Group founder Eugenio H. Lopez Sr., serve as a guide in establishing businesses that will “serve the needs of society in an honest and legitimate way.

Congratulations to Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI), Energy Development Corporation, First Gen, ABS-CBN and LopezLink for their wins in the Public Relations Society of the Philippines’ 47th Anvil Awards. Indeed, the harvest season has started early for the Group. See page 5 for details.

For the past few years, many of us have blocked off the last Saturday of March to support Earth Hour. From 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., hundreds of thousands of plugs have been pulled, literally, in support of what has become “the largest environmental event in history.” The Lopez Group, through LGFI, is an ardent supporter of this initiative for climate change action, which began in Sydney, Australia in 2007. For more info on the Group’s participation and how you can do your part, call tel. no. 490- 0779.

Given the extreme temperatures we’ve been experiencing— the thermometer has already hit 34.4 degrees, and February is supposed to be the coolest month of the year in these parts!—it’s only understandable that people are already in a summer state of mind. Why not turn down the heat with a little help from Power Plant Mall’s awesome new offerings? And there are more in store for Manila’s fashionistas in the coming months!

Don’t forget to sign up for the second DZMM Takbo Para sa Karunungan happening in Manila on March 11, 2012. You’ll not only have a stab at winning cash prizes and enjoying musical performances, you’ll be helping send young students—in particular those in Sendong- and Ondoy-devastated areas—to school as well. See you there!