25-year awardee Rod Eñano(2nd from left) with from left Lopez Group chairman Amb. Manuel M. Lopez, chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez and HR Council chair Mercedes L. VargasLopez family members joined five companies in honoring Lopez Group employees who reached milestone years of service at the 4th Lopez Service Awards at The Loft @ Manansala in Rockwell Center on July 2.

Chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez (OML) called the employees “part of our extended family” and reminded them to have empathy for the less fortunate.

“Empathy tears down barriers and opens up new frontiers for optimism,” OML said, quoting Melinda Gates who recently spoke to the graduating class of Stanford University.

“Tonight, as we celebrate your many years of gainful and meaningful employment, I want you to think of our countrymen who are not as lucky…think of what we can all do together to share the good fortune with which we have all been blessed,” OML said.
Chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez and Lopez Holdings president Salvador G. Tirona with Carla Paras-Sison (15 years), Ea Alarcio-Dulay (20 years) and Lanie Caimol (15 years)
Ambassador Manuel M. Lopez (AMML), Lopez Group chairman, paid tribute to the late Lopez Group founder, Eugenio H. Lopez Sr., calling him a selfless patriot. He also shared his admiration for the nationalism of the Japanese.

“In a grocery store, the earthquake toppled the goods on the shelves. The people, customers who were caught inside the store on account of the earthquake, started putting the goods that fell to the floor back on the shelves and helped in restoring order in the store. Can you imagine that happening here…we can only dream that one day, we Filipinos will learn to love our country in the same way,” AMML said.

He encouraged employees to go back to basics and follow the “12 little things every Filipino can do to help our country,” as suggested in the 2005 book by Alexander Lacson, and which he believes mostly have to do with “just choosing to be decent human beings and Filipinos.”

Lopez Inc. chair Presy L. Psinakis, meanwhile, talked about talent and the Lopez Group’s continuous investments in talent development because its workforce is its source of strength.

“Our individual contributions of time, talent and treasure, taken together, make for a stronger, wiser and better Lopez Group. Let us remember this as we go about our daily duties. Let us recognize our value and the value of those we work with as we apply our different but complementary talents to the achievement of our organizational objectives,” she said.

Amb. Lopez(far left), OML(center) and Benjamin Lopez(far right) with five year awardees Pia Muriel Amores, Marices Manalo, OML, Mary Grace Mutia, Jerome Mendoza and Jowee DañoEugenio Lopez Foundation Inc., administrator of the Lopez Museum and Library, recognized Rodrigo Eñano for 25 years of service. Lopez Holdings Corporation gave out a 20-year service award to Ea Theresa Alarcio-Dulay and 15- year service awards to Milani Caimol and Carla Paras-Sison.

INAEC Aviation Corporation had five awardees for five years of service: Pia Muriel Amores, Jowe Daño, Maricel Manalo, Jerome Mendoza and Mary Grace Mutia.

Lopez Inc. and Lopez Group Foundation Inc. employees also took part in the joint celebration. (Carla Paras-Sison)