Maria Isabel Lopez

In this Philippine name  for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Pagunsan, the birth surname or paternal family name is Lopez, and the marital name is Melrod.

Maria Isabel Lopez
Lopez in July 2017
Born	(1958-09-14) September 14, 1958 (age 65) Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
Education	University of the Philippines
Occupations	Beauty pageant titleholder actress model mosaic artist
Height	5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) [1]
Spouses	Hiroshi Yokohama ​ ​ (m. 1990;ann. 2006)​ Jonathan Melrod ​ (m. 2019)​
Children	Mara Isabella Yokohama Kenyo "Ken" Yokohama
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title	Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982
Years active	1982–present
Hair color	Black
Eye color	Brown
Major competition(s)	Binibining Pilipinas 1982 (Winner – Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982) Miss Universe 1982 (Unplaced)

Maria Isabel Pagunsan Lopez-Melrod ^[2] (born 14 September 1958) is a Filipino actress and beauty pageant titleholder. Lopez won the Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982 and represented the Philippines in the 31st Miss Universe Pageant in Lima, Peru. She became known as an actress who appeared in provocative films. Lopez was married to Hiroshi Yokohama, and then later married Jonathan Melrod in the United States. She is a mosaic artist and has appeared in various roles in Philippine cinema and television.

Pageantry

Lopez was born in Cagayan de Oro to Benjamin Lopez and Crescencia Pagunsan. Before joining beauty pageants, she worked as a fashion designer at The SM Store and Rustan's department store. She also modeled for various fashion salons, including that of designer Rodolfo Fuentes (1950—2011), who encouraged her to join Binibining Pilipinas. In 1982, at age 24, she joined the pageant as candidate number #15 and won the Binibining Pilipinas Universe title.

She was almost dethroned of her title because of her previous work as a lingerie model in a Girard Peter fashion show, which violated an immorality clause set by Miss Universe Philippines director Stella Araneta. Lopez maintains that she was pressured to resign but she refused to do so.^{[ citation needed ]} Lopez further gained notoriety when she was asked mistakenly about virginity by Philippine judge and actress Rita Gomez (1935—1990) during the national competition. The question was actually meant for Janet Sales of Manila. During her national competition, she was asked by American drummer Alphonse Mouzon regarding the independence of women. At her coronation night, her name was initially mispronounced as Maricar Isabel Lopez, but was later corrected.

Film work

Lopez became controversial when she appeared in highly sexualized roles in movies, which was not usually expected of a beauty queen titleholder. Her first movie Sana, Bukas Pa ang Kahapon (English: "Hoping that tomorrow is still what passed") in 1983, starred Hilda Koronel, Lorna Tolentino, Dindo Fernando, and Jay Ilagan, and was directed by Romy Suzara. She was in the original cast of Working Girls (1984), a comedy film directed by National Artist Ishmael Bernal, where she starred as a young office worker who entered sex work at night to gain more income. In 1988, Lopez was hired as a commercial sexy model for White Castle Whiskey.

During the height of her popularity, Lopez appeared in more sexual and romantic movies, including the following:

• Silip: Daughters of Eve — by Elwood Perez (1985)
• Isla (English: "Island") — by Celso Ad Castillo (1985)
• Hubo sa Dilim — (English: “Naked in the Darkness”) (1985)
• Mga Nakaw Na Sandali — (English: “Stolen Moments”) (1986)
• Dingding Lang ang Pagitan — (English: “Only thin walls that separate”) (1986)

She won the Golden Screen Award Best Supporting Actress Award for Kinatay (English: “Butchered”) (2009). Lopez walked the red carpet at the Cannes International Film Festival in France for Brilliante Mendoza's award-winning film, Kinatay (2009). Lopez again walked the red carpet at the Cannes International Film Festival in France for Brilliante Mendoza's award-winning film, Ma'Rosa (2016).

Lopez was the line producer for Tulak (2009), and HIV: Si Heidi, Si Ivy at Si V (2010). She was cast again in the 2010 remake of Working Girls, produced by GMA Films under the helm of Jose Javier Reyes. Lopez was one of the castaways in GMA Network's Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown (2011-2012), in tandem with her daughter, Mara Lopez, who was also an actress. She played the mother of Sid Lucero in GMA-7's prime time series, Legacy (2012).

List of controversies

In 2009, Lopez became the center of controversy when she was not given a complimentary ticket for the Binibining Pilipinas 2009 pageant, an oversight she strongly resented. She was not allowed to sit in the box allotted to former beauty titleholders.

In 2010, Lopez became involved in a conflict with various Philippine journalists, including Ricky Lo, who implied that Lopez strongly desired the passing of Stella Araneta. Lopez vehemently denied the allegation, but maintained the accusation that Araneta is an elitist who refuses to address people of impoverished backgrounds due to her grandiose ego. ^[3] Lopez maintains that Araneta has never forgiven her for making sexualized films after her reign as Miss Philippines 1982. ^[4]

In 2016, Lopez gained notoriety for a green pageant gown she wore in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival because she compared her evening gown to the one used by Pia Wurtzbach.

In January 2017, Lopez revealed on the morning show Unang Hirit the strong discrimination against dark-skinned contestants during her time as a beauty queen. She noted that during the Miss Universe 1982 visit at the Presidential Palace in Peru, the first lady Pilar Nores de García was dismissive of the dark-skinned contestants, namely Miss Papua New Guinea and Turks and Caicos.

In November 2017, Lopez was penalized for removing traffic cones and illegally driving on the lane reserved for the delegates of the 31st ASEAN Summit that was hosted in the Philippines. She posted her actions on Facebook, which prompted the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to recommend to the Land Transportation Office to suspend or cancel her driver's license. ^{[5] [6] [7]} Lopez later claimed that seeing other vehicles using the ASEAN lane prompted her to drive on it as well. ^[8] The office later revoked her license and barred her from reapplying and reacquiring her license for the next two years. ^[9] She was also fined ₱8,000 (US$160) for ignoring traffic signs, reckless driving, and violating the Anti-Distracted Driving Act. ^[10] Lopez accepted the charges and issued a public apology.

Personal life

Lopez married Hiroshi Yokohama, a former DHL executive in 1990. The couple lived in Tokyo, Japan then later moved to the Philippines. They separated in 2006 due to claims of abuse and infidelity. They have two children, Mara Lopez, an actress, and Kenyo "Ken" Yokohama, a civil engineering graduate of De La Salle University. On 9 June 2019, Lopez married a Jewish American Jonathan D. Melrod. They live in Sebastopol, California.

Lopez studied Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines Diliman and is a member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. She served as Secretary of the Committee on Visual Arts in 2011–2013. Lopez also completed art classes in the Chicago Mosaic School and the Institute of Mosaic Art in Berkeley, California. In 2015, she toured UNESCO Italian mosaics in Ravenna, Italy as part of her interest in mosaics.

Selected filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Film Company
2019	Lola Igna	Nida
2016	Siphayo	Fely
	Barcelona: A Love Untold	Belinda Alfaro
	Pamilya Ordinaryo
	Ma' Rosa	Tilde
	Just the 3 of Us	Lulu Manalo
2015	The Comeback
2014	Tres	"Tata Selo" segment
	Maria Leonora Teresa
2013	Ang Misis ni Meyor
	The Search for Weng Weng
	Angustia
2012	Mariposa: Sa Hawla ng Gabi
	Ang Misis ni Meyor
	Corazon: Ang Unang Aswang
	Captive
2011	Ritwal: The Faithfools
	Sirip
	Cuchera
2010	HIV: Si Heidi, si IVY at si V
	Ika-Sampu
	Ang Babae sa Sementeryo
	Ways of the Sea
	Halaw
	Working Girls
	Pilantik
2009	Fidel	Minda
	Kinatay	Madonna/Gina
	Hilot
	Tulak
2008	Ay Ayeng
2002	Super B	Nanay Mameng
1999	Sindak	Balikbayan
1989	Sa Kuko Ng Agila	Shirley	JE Productions Rich Films V Rich Films
1988	Red Roses for a Call Girl		BAS Films Lisa Film
1987	When Good Girls Go Wrong		LCS Productions, Inc. JRS Productions
1986	Bakit Naglaho ang Magdamag		Greed Films
	Kapirasong Dangal		Urban Films
	Dingding ang Pagitan		Ian Film Productions
	Mga Nakaw na Sandali		First Productions
	Huwag Pamarisan: Kulasisi		Emperor Films
	Unang Gabi
	Hayok
	Silip	Tonya	Viking Films
1985	Hubo sa Dilim		FLT Film Productions
	Heartache City	Joji	Essex Films
	Hello Lover, Goodbye Friend		Falcon Films
	Escort Girls		Tala Films, Inc.
1984	Isla	Isla	Viva Films
	Working Girls
	Batuigas II: Pasukuin si Waway		Vanguard Films, Inc.
1983	Dugong Buhay		Viva Films
	Sana, Bukas Pa ang Kahapon	Candy

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network
2022	Love in 40 Days	Roberta "Berta" Ignacio	Kapamilya Channel / A2Z / TV5
2019	Sino ang May Sala?: Mea Culpa	Maribel Baniaga	ABS-CBN
2018	Ngayon at Kailanman	Lucia Simbajon
	Bagani	Doray
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Barya	Victoria
2017	Haplos	Corazon 'Cora' Maglalim	GMA Network
	Imbestigador: Nagbigti o Binigti	Selya
2016	Doble Kara	Rona Mallari	ABS-CBN
	FPJ's Ang Probinsyano	Clarissa Subito
	Wansapanataym: Candy's Crush	Venus Angara
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Pole	Samantha
2015	Pangako sa 'Yo	Isabel Miranda
	Bridges of Love	Veronica
	Karelasyon	Belinda	GMA Network
	Imbestigador: Hinalay sa loob ng bahay (Gupit Panty)	Janet Buenavista
2014	Ang Lihim ni Annasandra	Rosario
	Ipaglaban Mo: Paano Na Ang Pangarap?	Aling Mila	ABS-CBN
	The Legal Wife	Sandra De Villa
2013	Bayan Ko	Sylvia Rubio	GMA News TV
2012	Magdalena: Anghel sa Putikan	Julia "Huling" Hermoso	GMA Network
	Kung Ako'y Iiwan Mo	Sonia Pedroso	ABS-CBN
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Gong	Apeng Sukay
	Legacy	Lala Salcedo	GMA Network
	Kapitan Awesome	Samantha Hussein	TV5
2011	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Tungkod	Linda	ABS-CBN
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Bracelet	Bebeng
2010	Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Alyna	Fausta Del Carmen
	Star Confessions: Tisay - The Lala Montelibano Confession	Lydia	TV5
	Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Love Me Again	Sonia Barrera	ABS-CBN
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Saranggola	Luzviminda
2009	Lovers In Paris	Julia Francisco-Gatus
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Videoke	Letty
	Parekoy	Mother Dear
	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Kalendaryo	Lucing
2007	Magpakailanman: The Liza Dela Cruz Story	unknown	GMA Network
2004	Spirits	Queen of the Engkanto	ABS-CBN
1998	Halik sa Apoy	Marta	GMA Network

See also

• Binibining Pilipinas
• Miss Universe 1982
• Philippines at major beauty pageants

References

1. Lo, Ricky (7 March 2014). "PLDT presents 2014 Bb. Pilipinas pageant". The Philippine Star . Archived from the original on 8 October 2015.
2. Nikko Tuazon (20 June 2019). "Maria Isabel Lopez, 60, marries for the second time". pep.ph. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
3. "Maria Isabel Lopez denies wishing Stella Marquez-Araneta dead". 23 April 2010.
4. "Former Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maria Isabel Lopez attacks BPCI head".
5. "Maria Isabel Lopez may lose driver's license for breaching ASEAN lane". 12 November 2017.
6. "Manila traffic official: 'Snipers could've mistaken Maria Isabel Lopez for terrorist' | Coconuts Manila". 14 November 2017.
7. "Actress Maria Isabel Lopez summoned for Asean lane violation". SunStar . 13 November 2017.
8. "Maria Isabel Lopez apologizes for driving in ASEAN lane". 12 November 2017.
9. "LTO cancels Maria Isabel Lopez's driver's license". 27 November 2017.
10. "Philippines: Actress Maria Isabel Lopez fined for using VIP traffic lane". BBC News. 27 November 2017.

External links

• Maria Isabel Lopez at IMDb
• "Former Bb. Pilipinas-Universe Maria Isabel Lopez attacks BPCI head"
• "Maria Isabel Lopez admits past relationships with politicians and lesbians"
• "Maria Isabel Lopez's career blooms anew after Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Doubles Showdown"