In 2020, the International Institute of Macau (IIM) published the biography of Dr. Pedro José Lobo, a leading figure in the civic-political scene in Macau, having been president of the Leal Senado de Macau (1959-1964), among other local institutions to which he was linked and awarded two Commendations from the Portuguese Government and the title of honorary citizen of Macau for his contribution to the territory.
Born in East Timor, he was considered an important businessman, politician, philanthropist, civil servant, musician, association leader and cultural stimulator of Macau, and a prominent figure in the Macanese community. His biography is also linked to his role as head of the Central Office of Economic Services, in which he distinguished himself during World War II, in the resolution of the Portas do Cerco incident. He was also the owner and manager of the Macau Water Supply Company, founder of the Macau Air Transport Company (MATCO), and promoter of Macau's cultural, musical and artistic life, having also founded Rádio Vila Verde and the Macau Cultural Circle.
The edition, with the support of the Macau Foundation, now published in English and part of the IIM's “Suma Oriental” collection, is the fifth book by his grandson Marco Lobo, who is currently living in Japan. The author expects, with this book, to transmit a better knowledge of Macau to readers, through this figure who lived through those troubled and important moments of Macau at that time.
The session, with the participation of government entities, civil society and local personalities, took place in the Salão Nobre of the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM), on November 27, with physical presentations by the respective chairman of the Board of Directors for the Municipal Affairs, José Tavares and the secretary general of the IIM, Rufino Ramos, and also with the presentations made online by Marco Lobo and the president of the IIM, Jorge Rangel, via the Google Meet platform.
The initiative was carried out under the preventive measures of the epidemic situation of COVID-19.