The Lopez group of companies will now bid sorrowful goodbye to their ‘North Star’ – Chairman Emeritus of First Philippine Holdings Corporation (FPH) Oscar M. Lopez or OML who passed away at the age of 93 on April 22 (Saturday). In a statement to the media, the Lopez-led conglomerate emphasized that OML “led FPH through its expansion into power generation, industrial estates, construction, and other fields.” FPH highlighted “his conviction that business must look beyond just the bottom line and consider its impact on society and the environment was years ahead of his time and will be his enduring legacy.” Being the North Star of a conglomerate that already lasted decades and across generations, OML had been the fierce and unwavering beacon who guided their various companies into business growth trajectories that they have steadfastly grown to – and he’s been the symbol of determination and resiliency even when their businesses had to go through rough patches. “He was our North Star, the inspiration, and guide for succeeding generations of Lopez Group executives and employees who learned to treasure and practice with him the Group’s distinct core values: a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit, business excellence, unity, nationalism, and social justice,” FPH stressed. The Lopez group’s core business in energy is the first in the country to have ditched coal in the power generation genre; and the company has instead pursued cleaner technologies in renewable energy; then gas as a bridge fuel. The conglomerate , under his stewardship, has also been among the corporates that had been most active in planting trees as a way to help preserve the environment for the benefit of the future generations. According to the company, OML had been the chairman emeritus from May 2010 to October 2020 and was also the chief strategic officer of FPH. He similarly served as  chairman emeritus of various companies such as Lopez Holdings Corporation, First Gen Corporation, Energy Development Corporation, First Balfour, First Philippine Industrial Park, Inc., First Philippine Electric Corporation, and Rockwell Land. He also held other positions in other Lopez Group Companies. He had been part of the Lopez Group in a directorship and/ or executive capacity for over 20 years. OML studied at Harvard College and graduated cum laude (Bachelor of Arts) in 1951. He was also conferred the degrees of Doctor of Humanities honoris causa by the De La Salle University and Ateneo de Manila University in 2010, and Doctor of Laws honoris causa by the Philippine Women’s University (2009), as well as the University of the Philippines (2012). He finished his Masters of Public Administration at the Littauer School of Public Administration, also at Harvard in 1955. (MMV)