Lauro “Rogy” Lopez Panganiban IIILauro “Rogy” Lopez Panganiban III was among the kindest, gentlest and most charitable souls anybody could meet.

He worked at ABS-CBN Corporation, moving through various divisions like Star Magic, ABS-CBN Consumer Products and Information Technology. His last assignment was with Studio Tours, until he retired in 2016.

Outside of his work, he was active with philanthropic activities, supporting scholars of Phil-Asia Assistance Foundation Inc. (PAAFI), a foundation his mother, the late Presentacion L. Psinakis (October 29, 1935-July 25, 2017), had chaired until she died at the age of 81. PAAFI subsidizes the education of public school students through allowances provided by donors for transportation, school supplies, uniforms and other school expenses. Rogy also supported the medical and dental missions of DZMM TLC (Teaching, Loving, Caring) Public Service on Wheels, being good friends with program-in-charge Dr. Luisa Puyat.

After all, he was known as the favorite grandson of the industrialist Eugenio H. Lopez Sr. (July 20, 1901-July 4, 1975), who was among the most generous philanthropists of his time. Among all the Lopez cousins of his generation, it was Rogy who had lived the longest with his grandparents, moving in with them after his parents separated. His father was the late Lauro Panganiban Jr. (August 17, 1931-October 21, 1985).

After his mother remarried, he spent some of his teenage years in Greece, learning to read, write and speak Greek fluently. He called his stepfather “Baba” (Greek for dad). He remembered bonding with him (his stepfather, the late Steve E. Psinakis, September 21, 1931-March 15, 2016) while hunting for octopus, which “was so much more exciting than fishing.”

During martial law, his family moved to the US to take care of his grandparents in exile. He remembers with pride working for a car rental agency, proof that although they (Lopez family members) had lived the good life as young children, “if the going gets tough, we know we can do it.”

Rogy was very proud of his cousins who had emerged as leaders of the Lopez family’s businesses and foundations, in particular Gabby (Eugenio Lopez III), Piki (Federico R. Lopez) and Gina (former DENR Secretary Gina Lopez).

As for himself, his later years, other than his philanthropic endeavors, were spent taking care of his parents.

“I thank them for letting me be the one to take care of them, as they did for me when I was younger,” he said in an interview in October 2017.

Born on September 7, 1956, Rogy passed away on May 11, 2018 at the age of 61.