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Gemiliano "Mel" Campos Lopez Jr. (September 1, 1935 – January 1, 2017) was a
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
politician who served as the Mayor of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
from 1986 to 1987 and 1988 to 1992 and an assemblyman of the
Batasang Pambansa The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The complex was initially the home of the Batasang Pa ...
of the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
from 1984 to 1986. He was also a former chairman of the
Philippine Sports Commission The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC, ) is an agency of the Philippine government which tackles matters concerning sports in the country. The sports agency is independent from the Philippine Olympic Committee which enjoys autonomy from the gov ...
.


Early life and education

Mel Lopez was born in
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
on September 1, 1935 to Carmen Campos of Bulacan and Lt. Col. Gemiliano López Sr. of Manila. He is also the grandson of Honorio Lopez, writer and revolutionary during the Spanish Revolution

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Honorio_Lopez_(1875_-_1958)_Avenida.jpg] He graduated from the
Jose Rizal University Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin * Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galilea ...
(formerly Jose Rizal College) with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Commercial Science. He also played swimming, boxing and basketball in the
NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
for the
JRU Heavy Bombers The JRU Heavy Bombers (also as José Rizal University Heavy Bombers) are the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball team of the Jose Rizal University. The other senior varsity teams may also be referred to as the Heavy Bombers. Th ...
.


Personal life

He was married to Concepcion Tantoco, a Filipina businesswoman and entrepreneur. They were married for over fifty years and have nine children, over thirty grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.


Political life


Councilor (1967–1975)

On August 21, 1971,
1971 Plaza Miranda bombing The Plaza Miranda bombing ( fil, Pambobomba sa Liwasang Miranda) occurred during a political rally of the Liberal Party (Philippines), Liberal Party at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila, Quiapo district, Manila, the Philippines on August 21, 1971. ...
marred a
Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...
rally, killing 9 persons and injuring 92 more, including Lopez, who was then a councilor. President
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
used the bombing incident as a basis to suspend the writ of habeas corpus. When Marcos declared martial law, Lopez decided to organize active opposition to the regime that could eventually topple it and help restore democracy to the country. He held secret meetings with labor and student leaders, community and political leaders, exploring ideas on how to organize opposition to the martial law regime.


Laban

Lopez was among the founding signatories of
Laban Laban is a French surname. It may refer to: Places * Laban-e Olya, a village in Iran * Laban-e Sofla, a village in Iran * Laban, Virginia, an unincorporated community in the United States * 8539 Laban, main-belt asteroid People Surname *Ahm ...
, a contraction of “Lakas ng Bayan” and a Tagalog translation of People's Power. When Marcos announced an election for the Interim Batasang Pambansa on April 7, 1978, he was the campaign manager in Manila, organizing sorties and meetings to attract more citizens to oppose Marcos' dictatorial rule.


Batasang Pambansa (1984–1986)

In recognition of his leadership in Manila, some 20 prospective candidates of
United Nationalists Democratic Organizations The United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO) was the main political multi-party electoral alliance of the traditional political opposition during the turbulent last years of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos in the mid-1980s. It w ...
(UNIDO) for the 1984 Batasang Pambansa elections signed a resolution giving him authority to select the five other candidates for the six assembly seats assigned to Manila based on voting population. Marcos' ticket, the
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan The New Society Movement ( fil, Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, KBL), formerly named the New Society Movement of United Nationalists, Liberals, et cetera ( fil, Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa, KBLNNL), is a ...
, suffered a heavy blow and the UNIDO candidates including Lopez and four others won. While serving in the
Batasang Pambansa The Batasang Pambansa Complex, or simply the Batasan (), is the seat of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. It is located along the Batasan Road in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The complex was initially the home of the Batasang Pa ...
, he filed bills aimed at proposing the compensation income of spouses who are both employees to be taxed separately, paying lower taxes, seeking to abolish the Metro Manila Commission, providing for the establishment of the Philippine National Language Commission, and providing for a synchronization of national and local elections in 1986.


Mayor of Manila (1986–1992)

After the
People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
, Lopez was appointed as
Mayor of Manila The City Mayor of Manila ( fil, Punong Lungsod ng Maynila, sometimes referred to as, ''Alkalde ng Maynila'') is the head of the executive branch of Manila's city government. The mayor holds office at Manila City Hall. Like all local government he ...
. During his early years, his administration was faced with 700 million pesos worth of debt and inherited an empty treasury. In the first eleven months, however, the debt was reduced to 365 million pesos and the city's income rose by around 70%. Revenues from movie theaters rose by 180%, from public markets 170%, and the Manila Zoo began to have profits. Manila had an annual income of over 700 million pesos due to these increase in tax revenues. Within the same eleven months, 21 schools were built. Squatters were relocated, with an average of 12,700 families a year. During the
1988 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1988. Africa * 1988 Cameroonian general election * 1988 Equatorial Guinean legislative election * 1988 Kenyan general election * 1988 Malian parliamentary election * 1988 Rwandan parliamentary elect ...
, he ran for a full term under the PDP-LABAN and won, defeating Former Assemblyman
Lito Atienza Jose "Lito" Livioko Atienza Jr. (; born August 10, 1941) is a Filipino politician. He served as a Party-list Representative for Buhay from 2013 to 2022, and was a House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022. He served as the Secretary of Environment ...
and Former Senator
Eva Estrada-Kalaw Eva Kalaw ( Evangelina Reynada Estrada; June 16, 1920 – May 25, 2017) was a Filipina politician who served as a senator in the Senate of the Philippines from 1965 to 1972 during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. She was one of the key opp ...
. Lopez closed down numerous illegal gambling joints and jueteng. He also blocked the re-opening of jai-alai, the “game of the thousand thrills,” despite pressure from powerful groups. In January 1990, Lopez padlocked two Manila casinos operated by the
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR, ) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established through the ''Presidential Decree 1869''. PAGCOR is the Philippines' largest contributor of revenue to the government after the ...
(PAGCOR), saying the billions it gained cannot make up for the negative effects gambling inflicts upon the people, particularly the youth. As a result of this, he was charged with graft in the
Sandiganbayan The Sandiganbayan ( en, Support of the Nation) is a special appellate collegial court in the Philippines that has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases involving graft and corrupt practices and other offenses committed by public officer ...
in the same year. The case remained unresolved until it was finally dropped in June 2002. He also worked for the revival of the Boys’ Town Haven (now referred to as “Boys Town”), rehabilitating its facilities to accommodate underprivileged children and provide them with livelihood and education. During the 1992 elections, he lost reelection to former National Bureau of Investigation director
Alfredo Lim Alfredo "Fred" Siojo Lim Jr.. (; December 21, 1929 – August 8, 2020) was a Filipino politician and police officer who served as a Senator of the Philippines from 2004 to 2007. He also served as the Mayor of Manila twice: first from 1992 to 19 ...
.


Post-mayoralty (1992–2017)

In 1993, he was appointed by President
Fidel Ramos Fidel Valdez Ramos (, ; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR and Eddie Ramos, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military ...
as Chairman of the
Philippine Sports Commission The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC, ) is an agency of the Philippine government which tackles matters concerning sports in the country. The sports agency is independent from the Philippine Olympic Committee which enjoys autonomy from the gov ...
, serving until 1996. During his term as PSC Chairman, he helped
Onyok Velasco Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco Jr. (born January 10, 1974) is a Filipino retired boxer, comedian and actor from Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Competing in the 48 kg category he won a gold medal at the 1994 Asian Games and a silver at the 1 ...
to captured the silver medal in the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in Atlanta, USA, together with his son Manny Lopez, then-president of the
Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines The Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (formerly Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines until 2013), or ABAP, is the governing body for amateur boxing in the Philippines. History On May 30, 2013, ABAP held its first gen ...
(renamed as Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines or ABAP), now a congressman representing
Manila's 1st congressional district Manila's 1st congressional district is one of the six congressional districts of the Philippines in the city of Manila. It has been represented in the House of Representatives of the Philippines since 1916 and earlier in the Philippine Assembly fr ...
. In 1995, he sought a rematch against Lim but was unsuccessful. Nine years later, in 2004, he ran again for mayor against then incumbent
Lito Atienza Jose "Lito" Livioko Atienza Jr. (; born August 10, 1941) is a Filipino politician. He served as a Party-list Representative for Buhay from 2013 to 2022, and was a House Deputy Speaker from 2020 to 2022. He served as the Secretary of Environment ...
under the
Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino The Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) (''Coalition of United Filipinos''), also known as the United Opposition, was the political multi-party electoral alliance of the dominant opposition in the Philippines during the 2004 general elec ...
(KNP) but lost. Lopez died on
New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
, January 1, 2017, in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
from a heart attack at the age of 81 and three months. In April 2019, President
Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
signed Republic Act No. 11280 to officially rename a portion of
Radial Road 10 Radial Road 10, more commonly referred to as R-10, is a planned network of roads and bridges that all together would form the tenth radial road of Manila in the Philippines. It is the westernmost of the radial roads north of the Pasig River runnin ...
to
Mel Lopez Boulevard Mel Lopez Boulevard is a , six-to-ten lane divided highway in northern Manila, Philippines, connecting Bonifacio Drive in Port Area in the south with Radial Road 10 (R-10) in Navotas in the north. The highway is the main component of the R-10 n ...
, which runs from
Anda Circle The Anda Monument, often erroneously referred to as the Anda Circle after the roundabout it is currently located, is an obelisk monument situated in the boundary of Intramuros and Port Area in central Manila, Philippines. It was erected in honor ...
in Manila up north to Estero de Marala at the city's border with
Navotas Navotas, officially the City of Navotas ( fil, Lungsod ng Navotas), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 247,543 people. It is known as the ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lopez, Mel 1935 births 2017 deaths Mayors of Manila Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino politicians Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Manila Chairpersons of the Philippine Sports Commission Manila City Council members Ramos administration personnel José Rizal University alumni Burials at The Heritage Park Members of the Batasang Pambansa