Lawyer and former vice chairman of ABS-CBN, Augusto “Jake” Almeda Lopez, has peacefully passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind a legacy of significant contributions to the media industry.
Almeda Lopez’s association with the Lopez Group commenced in 1961 when he assumed the role of head of ABS-CBN’s personnel division. His notable achievements include leading the company through a name change from Bolinao Electronics to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in 1967 and overseeing the construction of the iconic ABS-CBN Broadcast Center in 1967-68.
Born to Tiburcio Lopez, a former governor of Tayabas, Quezon, and Natividad Almeda Lopez, the Philippines’ first female judge, Jake Almeda Lopez earned his law degree from the University of the Philippines in 1952. Joining ABS-CBN in 1961, he played a crucial role in the company’s growth, eventually becoming its general manager in 1966.
Throughout his illustrious career, Almeda Lopez served on the board of various Lopez Group companies, contributing significantly to ABS-CBN’s rise as the country’s premier broadcast company.
His dedication to the media giant’s motto, “In the Service of the Filipino People,” earned him a lifetime achievement award during the 2016 Lopez Achievement Awards, where Lopez Group chairman Manuel M. Lopez hailed him as a mentor.
Almeda Lopez formally retired from the Lopez Group in 2008, leaving behind a lasting impact on Philippine media. In June 2023, he was honored as one of the 41 war veterans who received the US Congressional Gold Medal, recognizing civilians’ valor and loyalty during World War 2.
Before his tenure at ABS-CBN, he served as a staff sergeant and rifleman in Anderson’s Guerrillas in Tayabas, Quezon, from September 1944 to August 1945.
