Former ABS-CBN vice chairman Augusto Lopez, 95

MANILA, Philippines — Augusto Almeda Lopez, the person who gave broadcast giant ABS-CBN its name, passed away over the weekend. He was 95.

ABS-CBN yesterday confirmed Lopez’s demise.

Lopez, former vice chairman of the company, received last year the US Congressional Gold Medal for his service during World War 2.

Before joining ABS-CBN, he served as staff sergeant to a guerrilla unit based in Tayabas, Quezon from September 1944 to August 1945.

After fighting in the war, he studied law at the University of the Philippines and placed fourth in the Bar exams in 1952.

Lopez entered the Lopez Group as ABS-CBN’s personnel division head in 1961, leading efforts to change the company’s name from Bolinao Electronics in 1967.

In 1966, Lopez was appointed general manager of ABS-CBN, turning it into one of the biggest broadcast networks in the country under his helm.

He retired in 2008 and received a lifetime achievement award eight years later.

Lopez is the son of Tiburcio Lopez, former governor of Tayabas, and Natividad Almeda Lopez, the first female judge in the Philippines.