Maiki Abello BanzonMaria Katrina “Maiki” Abello Banzon was just 17 when she became the Jaro Fiesta Queen, a title handed down to daughters of prominent families in Iloilo. Maiki is the daughter of Raffy and Pia Lopez Abello and a granddaughter of Oscar and Connie Rufino Lopez. A greatgranddaughter of Eugenio Lopez Sr., she talks of the halcyon years of growing up with cousins and family members and how they were taught and lived the Lopez values of unity, respect and kindness towards others, rich or poor.

Can you tell us about your growing up years?

I am Maria Katrina Abello Banzon. I grew up surrounded by family. My cousins were my neighbors so we were always hanging out on weekends and after school. It was a lot of fun!

I went to Poveda for kinder all the way until high school. Then I went to Ateneo for college. I played softball for my school varsity from Grade 6 until I finished college. I took up AB Interdisciplinary Studies in Ateneo. Most people don’t really know what it is. It’s a course which allows you to pick two tracks and gives you a lot of freedom in choosing electives. I chose this course because I didn’t really find any single course that I felt was perfect for me. With AB IS I took management and communications tracks and a lot of electives which were more on the artistic side, like set design and painting.

The social worker is also a dog loverAlisa Lopez delos Reyes, who will turn 28 this November, is the daughter of Berta Lopez Feliciano. Berta is the fifth child of the late Geny Lopez. Alisa went to Reed College in Portland, Oregon, majoring in psychology. She later go thermaster’s degree in social work at the University of Chicago.

How long have you been living abroad? Can you describe your life there?

I have been living abroad for nine years—four years in Portland and five years in Chicago. It can get lonely, but I have also made really great friends and have done a lot of growing being away from home. I have become a much more humble, nice and independent person— I think most people that know me would agree.

I have worked or been a student since I moved away. I am currently a school social worker at a high school in Chicago. It brings me both great joy and stress. I am also part of a group of educators organizing for a union in our school network, The Noble Network of Schools. I did not realize that we have so much to thank unions for, like the eight-hour workday, maternity leave, sick leave, minimum wage…

Have you ever worked in any Lopez company in the Philippines or abroad, like in ABSCBN International?

I have not, but hope to someday have the opportunity to. Of the employees that I have met from ABS-CBN, they are, of course, the bomb.

How do you practice the Lopez Values of integrity, business excellence, innovativeness, employee welfare and wellness and nationalism? What other values do you adhere to?

I think I aspire to embody all of the Lopez Values; however, I will probably never be able to claim any type of business excellence in my life. Living in the United States, I have become so proud of my Pinay heritage, which I had unfortunately learned little about in school and was not myself curious about as a young person. It made me realize how deeply colonialism had impacted me. There was a time when I wanted to have white skin with blue eyes and prided myself in speaking fluent English, neglecting my mother language, Tagalog. I don’t feel that way anymore. I am working on decolonizing my actions, habits, thoughts… all of me!

Marco during a vacation trip with his parents Vicente and Cedie and sister Manna Marco Lopez Vargas, 28, is the son of Lopez Group Foundation Inc. (LGFI) president and Lopez Museum and Library executive director Cedie Lopez Vargas and Vicente Vargas. He is one of the elder grand children of LGFI chairman Oscar M. Lopez and Connie R. Lopez. Marco shares how he grew up in an environment with rather strict parents and a closely-knit clan, and how the Lopez Values have helped him in his banking job.

Can you describe the childhood years of Javier Emmanuel “Marco” Vargas? What were the values you learned? How would you describe Marco then and now?

My full name is Javier Emmanuel Lorenzo Lopez Vargas. There is no Marco in my name.

My childhood can be described as enjoying playing and hanging out with my cousins and friends. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my cousins and that’s why we are very close to each other. My growing up was also a time for learning through mistakes and experiences.

Daniel Lopez Layug invests in unity, education The Lopez Values Vanguards section this time presents Daniel Lopez Layug, 30, in the seventh series of new Lopez Values vanguards. Dan is the son of Knowledge Channel Foundation Inc. president Rina Lopez-Bautista. He is a grandson of Lopez Group Foundation Inc. chairman Oscar M. Lopez and the seventh great grandchild of Eugenio Lopez Sr.Kindly give a background on how you were raised, where you studied and are studying.