University of Iloilo

THE University of Iloilo is set to become a top university in the province under the leadership of Philippine Investment Management (PHINMA), a 100% Filipino-owned firm that provides property and shelter, energy, financial services, roofing services, and now, education, through its subsidiaries.

“Through professional management, strong industry ties, and a strategy that is highly focused on those courses and skills that best prepare our students for sustained employment, PHINMA achieves a fine balance between academic quality and affordability. This allows us to provide the high quality education needed to improve the lives of our fellow Filipinos who need it the most,” says Ramon R. Del Rosario, President and Chief Executive Officer of PHINMA.

As the prime mover of PHINMA, Mr. Del Rosario’s philosophy is backed by years of experience, having been extensively involved in both the public and private sectors. Aside from holding the highest office in PHINMA, he is also the Chairman of the Makati Business Club. Prior to this, he served as the Philippine Secretary of Finance from 1992 to 1993, and was the EVP and Chief Finance Officer of San Miguel Corporation from 1986 to 1989.

Bringing PHINMA’s daunting goals to fruition is quite a challenge. It takes strategic thinking, extreme dedication and boundless energy – the combination of which is found in PHINMA Education Network’s President and CEO, Dr. Chito B. Salazar. Dr. Salazar is an Ateneo de Manila Management Engineering Graduate, Fordham University MA degree holder, American University PhD degree holder, former Washington Sycip Policy Forum Executive Director, former Netherlands and UN Institute of Environmental Studies Consultant, and Philippine Business for Education Foundation President.

“Upon purchasing a school, our primary goal is to evaluate and modify its management to align with PHINMA’s objectives. We undertake a comprehensive campaign to improve the school’s curriculum. We provide ways to develop our teaching and non-teaching employees through continuous learning and competitive salary schemes. We provide infrastructure and technology that will aid our students in their learning and improve operational processes,” says Dr. Salazar.

It is a tough endeavor, but a fruitful one as demonstrated by the vast improvements seen with Araullo University – PHINMA, whose board passing rates have become consistently the highest in Nueva Ecija since its purchase six years ago. The same can be said of PHINMA’s second school, Cagayan de Oro College – PHINMA, who has been awarded the title as a Center for Development in Criminology by CHEd, and is touted to be the number one school of Criminology in Visayas and Mindanao. Now, with the purchase of its two newest schools, the University of Pangasinan and the University of Iloilo, PHINMA is another step closer towards making it possible for all Filipinos to improve their lives through Education.

Indeed, between Mr. Del Rosario’s expertise in Business and Dr. Salazar’s deep knowledge of the Academe, the Iloilo community can now look forward to a new and better option to advance in life through progressive, solid and affordable education at the University of Iloilo – PHINMA. / thenewstoday.info

PHILIPPINES - Bayer in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) proclaimed the 2012 Bayer Young Environmental Envoys at an award presentation ceremony on August 23, 2012 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City . 

Twelve college students from different parts of the country were conferred the title Bayer Young Environmental Envoy after successfully implementing their individual environmental projects, following a stringent selection process and nationwide search.

The best four out of the 12 Bayer Young Environmental Envoys for 2012 were chosen to go to a weeklong all-expense paid study tour of Germany in November.

They were Jezreel Ezer Archival of the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus, Marylour Avila of the University of Iloilo-Phinma Education Network, Michael Garlan of Western Visayas College of Science & Technology and Ruiz Joy Escollar of the University of Iloilo-Phinma Education Network. / thepbe.org

University of Iloilo (UI) will tie up with manpower services firm A. Magsaysay, Inc. (Magsaysay) to build next year a new training facility at its campus in a bid to further strengthen its maritime engineering focus, the top official of the company that owns and operates the school said yesterday.

“The exciting thing in [University of] Iloilo is that on Monday (Nov. 26), we are signing a contract with Magsaysay which is the number one maritime agency in the Philippines. They are going to set up their training center for maritime professionals in our campus,” Chito B. Salazar, president of Phinma Education Network, said in an interview on the sidelines of Media Nation 9: The 9th Summit for the Philippine News Media at Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City yesterday, when asked about expansion plans for Phinma-owned University of Iloilo.

Phinma Education Network is the school operating arm of listed Phinma Corp.

Magsaysay was established in 1948 originally as a ship management company. It later diversified into human resources and business process outsourcing (BPO) services, according to the company’s Web site. Magsaysay claims to recruit and train students from around the world for the maritime, cruise, health care, hospitality and engineering industries, among others.

Under its contract with the University of Iloilo, Magsaysay will bring in “cutting-edge equipment” to provide skills for maritime engineering students and professionals alike in order to keep up with global maritime trends.

“The center will have two simulation rooms, two lecture rooms, totaling almost 600 square meters,” Mr. Salazar said.

Advanced engineering skills will be taught at the new training center, he said.

One such skill is “dynamic positioning,” an operating technique useful in deep-sea drilling wherein a ship operator would be able to maintain a vessel’s position just by using its engines and without the aid of an anchor, Mr. Salazar explained.

“They’re (Magsaysay) the number one (maritime skill trainer) in the Philippines and we have a very good business relationship with them,” Mr. Salazar said.

“We think there will be a lot of synergies here and we want UI to make a name for itself in maritime engineering in Iloilo. Region 6, after all, is one of the country’s biggest sources of seafarers,” he noted.

Construction of the training complex will commence in January and should be completed in June, he added.

UI was established 1947 by former vice-president Fernando Lopez as Iloilo City Colleges, according to its Web site. It became a university in 1968 and joined Phinma Education — the group behind Cagayan de Oro College, Araullo University, and University of Pangasinan — in 2009.

Phinma Education’s parent, Phinma — formerly Bacnotan Consolidated Industries, Inc. — has subsidiaries and associates involved in investment holdings, iron sheet manufacturing, education, real estate development, real property investment, and animation BPO.

Source: BusinessWorld Online.