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BizNewsAsia

 

BizNewsAsia, the Philippines's largest weekly business and news magazine, marks its tenth year tonight by honoring the Philippines' leading tycoons, entrepreneurs and CEOs at a gala dinner at the Intercontinental.

BizNewsAsia hit a pass-on readership of 350,000 after it sold 35,000 copies in a single issue in 2008. Each copy is read by at least ten readers. BizNewsAsia was founded in 2001 by joum alist Antonio S. Lopez to focus on the things that count – businesses the economy, the Philippines. He is the president, publisher and editor of BizNewsAsia.

A multi-awarded senior journalist, Lopez finished journalism, magna cum laude, from UST; three semesters of MBA studies at Ateneo, and global journalism at the University of Stockholm.

His balanced and objective reporting during the Marcos years helped lead to People Power in 1986 that installed Corazon Aquino, put the Philippines on the world map, and won him the TOYM in international Journalism in 1986. The TOYM medal and trophy were given by no less than President Corazon Aquino.

Lopez has covered all five recent presidents, from Diosdado Macapagal to Benigno Aquino III. A specialist writer on business, the economy, politics, Asian and world affairs, he has monitored the rise to riches of many of the country's leading tycoons' Tonight's BNA guests are led by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Chief justice Renato C. Corona and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. To be honored are the Tycoons of the Decade: Ramon S. Ang, President and COO of San Miguel Corp. and CEO of Petron Corp.; Manuel V. Pangilinan, chair of PLDT and CEO of Meralco; Henry Sy Sr., chair emeritus of SM group, Tessie 5Y Coson, chair of BDO and vice chair of SM Investments Corp', Andrew Tan, chair of Alliance Global Group, Alfonso T. Yuchengco, chair of the Yuchengco Group; Felipe Gozon of GMA Network, Zenaida Tantoco of Rustan's, and Oscar Lopez, chair emeritus of First Philippine Holdings' Chief Justice Corona is cited as the Inspiring Leader of the Decade for initiating reforms at the judiciary where right will find a sanctuary and wrong will find no refuge. The NBA Excellence Awardees are Vice President Binay Speaker Belmont, Senator Manny Villar, the Vista Land founder; BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr., PEZA Director General Lilia de Lime, Metrobandk Presedent Arthrur Ty, Bank of PI President Aurelio Montinola, AMA Group Founder Amable M. Aguilus V, Mang Inasal Founder Edgar “ Injap” Sia II, and Management Association of the Philippines President Architect Felino Palofox.

The BizNewsAsia Real Estate Who Is Who or BREW awardees are: BDO President Nestor Tan, RCBC President Lorenzo Tan, Federal Land President Alfred Ty, Architect Nestor Mangio, Willie Soong of Juguar Cars, Inc., Elizabeth H. Lee, Rose Basa, and property developers Noel S. Gonzales of Monterazas de Cebu, and Romarico Alvarez of P.A Alvarez Properties.

BREW awardees are those who helped improve the life and lifestyle of Filipinos for their management excellence and innovation in property development. If there is a journalist who has invested so much in terms of his work and passion in a single political family in this country, it's Tony Lopez.

When the charismatic opposition leader Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr. (Noynoy's father) was jailed, Cory Aquino would call up a number of newspapermen to please help cover his trial before the military tribunal.

Cory thought that the glare of publicity, from the international press (I represented Asia week of

Hongkong Mainichi Shimbun of Japan and German television of Germany for many years) would prompt the military tribunal to treat Ninoy with some degree of fairness and objectivity.

Tony covered the Ninoy Aquino trial, one of only four newsmen covering his trial with regularity. Each December, Ninoy was given a Christmas furlough by Ferdinand Marcos. I would visit the senator at his Times Street house and each time, he welcomed Tony like a long lost brother. Ninoy gave him extensive interviews. A former journalist the senator typed the answers in Tony's presence He gift d Tony with four poems, signed by him, and which he said he cor4posed just for Lopez.

Just before Ninoy flew to Manila via Taipei on August 20 and 21, 1983, he asked Asiaweek to imbed a reporter or photographer in his flights. Tony was deemed too high profile to be the reporter. But Asiaweek boarded a photographer from Hongkong. His photograph became the picture in the 500-peso bill you see today.

When Ninoy was assassinated, Tony Lopez’s Asianweek story was a bestseller. The issue sold 10,000 copies in one day. Lopez also fielded a full time team to cover the Agrava Commission’s daily hearings on Ninoy’s assassins. His was the only publication that gave a blow by blow account of the Agrava trial.

When cory launched her candidacy for president, Asiaweek backed her to the hilt athough Marcos was very fair to Lopez and granted him an interview each time he asked for one (including an exclusive, three days after Ninoy’s assassination).

Later, Asianweek was sold to Time Warner from overtaking them in Asia. Lopes founded BizNewsAsia a year after leaving Asiaweek.

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