Ramon V. del Rosario, Sr., Filemon C. Rodriguez, and Ernesto O. Escaler form PHINMA, then the first Filipino-managed investment firm.
The new company purchased Cebu Portland Cement Company in Bacnotan, La Union. It was renamed Bacnotan Cement Corporation (BCC) using the brand name Union Cement. Since then, BCC has become the foremost producer of cement in the Philippines, together with its subsidiary-sister plants.

The PHINMA pioneers: Ramon V. Del Rosario, Sr.; Filemon C. Rodriguez; and Ernesto O. Escaler (left to right)

PHINMA established an oil refinery in Rosario, Cavite. Filoil’s marketing strategy of “Filipino First” inspired a nationalistic sense of consumerism among Filipinos to purchase Filoil.

Ramon V. Del Rosario (left) and Philippine President Garcia (next to him) watch on as Filemon C. Rodriguez pumps gas into the President's car during the 1960 Filoil gas station inaugural.

PHINMA ventured into GI sheets manufacturing, through Bacnotan Consolidated Industries Incorporated, with its steel plant in Poro Point, La Union. This spawned a galvanizing plant known as Union Galvasteel Corporation.

Trans-Asia Oil and Mineral Company was formed to undergo exploration in the northwest seas of Palawan. Success in this endeavor has snowballed into other energy projects such as coal mining, and energy generation.

PHINMA ventured into the paper and packaging business with the United Pulp and Paper Company (UPPC) in Calumpit, Bulacan. The plant produced sack Kraft paper, for use in the cement packaging business. UPPC has continuously upgraded their production capacity and has increased revenues significantly.

Paper production in UPPC's Calumpit, Bulacan plant.

Community Relations, COMREL, was formed to reach out to the communities where PHINMA plants are located, and to coordinate with local government units in order to improve Filipino livelihood. COMREL is PHINMA’s example of good corporate citizenship and community building.

PHINMA Realty Corporation and FCI Development Corp merged into a new company: PHINMA Property Holdings Corporation. With housing projects being prosperous, other businesses evolved including property management, and sanitation.

PPHC's Smile Citihomes in Quezon City provides affordable housing solutions.

Through the efforts of Mr. Ramon del Rosario, Jr., PHINMA partnered with A. Soriano Co. and the Benguet Mining Corporation to launch the Asian Savings Bank into a commercial banking institution in 1989, later named Asian Bank in 1990.

PHINMA constructed the Don Filemon C. Rodriguez Training Center in Tagaytay City under a spin-off company named PHINMA Group Development Foundation. The Training Center houses facilities for management as well as technical training over 2.7 hectares. It has 52-room trainees quarters for overnight sessions. The center is also open to non-PHINMA companies.

PHINMA’s corporate social responsibility program, which is run through PHINMA COMREL, fostered the communal spirit along with the individual’s sense of responsibility to the community, as well as promote self-sufficiency in the immediate vicinity. For this, PHINMA received the Corporate Citizenship Excellence Award from the Philippine Business for Social Progress.

Trans-Asia Power Generation Corporation, the joint venture project of Trans-Asia Oil and Hi-Cement Corporation commissioned its 52 MW power plant in Bulacan.

Bacnotan Consolidated Industries, Inc. (BCII) and Atlas Cement Corporation (ACC) entered into an agreement with Holderbank for a strategic partnership in the cement business of PHINMA.

United Pulp and Paper Company, Inc. inaugurated its second paper mill amounting to P6 Billion, making it the biggest and most advanced paper manufacturing facility in the Philippines. This was a joint venture project between PHINMA and Thailand's Siam Cement Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in Thailand.

The three cement companies of PHINMA, namely Bacnotan Cement Corporation, Hi-Cement Corporation, and Davao Union Cement Corporation, merge into UNION Cement Corporation in an effort to integrate and improve coordination among the plants.

PHINMA and other subsidiaries / sister companies move into the new PHINMA Plaza in Rockwell Center, Makati.

Another view of the PHINMA Plaza with the sun shining through.

Siam Pulp and Paper Company, PHINMA's strategic partner in the paper business, agreed to infuse new equity that completed the buy-out of United Pulp and Paper Company. PHINMA sold its investment in the Cement business which marked the end of more than four decades of industrial primacy and the beginning of a new journey into the services sector. Also in the same year, PHINMA and BCII acquired a controlling interest in Araullo University, its maiden investment in the Education sector.   PHINMA celebrated its 50th year.  As part of a five-university system goal,  PHINMA has acquired Cagayan de Oro College. Demonstrating its zeal in providing affordable housing, PHINMA acquired the Philippine franchise of Microtel Inns & Suites. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, PHINMA Property Holdings Corp. (PPHC), the company has also became a leader in affordable medium-rise housing in Metro Manila with more than 4,000 condo units.