PHINMA Marks 50th Anniversary

The country's leading conglomerate, the Philippine Investment-Management, Inc. (PHINMA), celebrates its golden anniversary mid of November this year.

Themed "Empower the Future by Honoring the Past," the PHINMA Group's 50th anniversary celebrations will highlight its notable history of developing and promoting Filipino entrepreneurship and professional management skills and of building communities, beginning with its birth during an era of foreign dominance in the Philippine industry.

Dr. Magdaleno B. Albarracin, Jr. makes a gesture of celebration.

Several celebrations were capped by an evening ball attended by PHINMA executives and staff, industry associates and special guests of honor, highlighted by a tribute to its founder, Amb. Ramon V. del Rosario Sr. In line with the anniversary commemoration, PHINMA has compiled into a coffee table book stories from people who have shared their personal experiences on how PHINMA has made life better for them.

PHINMA's glorious history is, for the most part, characterized by its presence in heavy industry, primarily cement, steel roofing and paper. During the early part of the 21st century, however, PHINMA decided to divest of its decades-old principal businesses.

With the proceeds from these divestments, and the values of professionalism, competency and trustworthiness that it has always been known for in the past, and its commitment to nation building, PHINMA charted a new path for itself. The conglomerate shifted from manufacturing to basic services, namely, education, housing, power, financial services, and tourism. PHINMA's reformulated mission, according to PHINMA president and chief executive officer Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr., is "to help make life better for the Filipino by giving him improved access to the basic requirements of life."

The first step in this mission is PHINMA's investment in education. In recent years, PHINMA has strengthened its thrust toward education with the acquisition and development of Araullo University in Nueva Ecija and Cagayan de Oro College in Cagayan de Oro City, with the PHINMA Education network eyeing to acquire three more schools by 2008 to complete its five-university system goal. PHINMA's thrust is to maintain its schools outside of Manila to provide good quality yet affordable education.

Meantime, PHINMA's affordable housing business is being carried out through its wholly owned subsidiary PHINMA Property Holdings Corp. (PPHC). Recognized a "Superbrand" by Superbrands Philippines, PPHC has become the leader in affordable medium-rise housing in Metro Manila with more than 4,000 affordable condo units built to date.

Officers and their spouses celebrate the occasion.

With several companies under its fold assisting in providing reliable energy in the country, PHINMA is into energy believing that the sector plays a very important role in an economy such as the Philippines. PHINMA has four companies as well under its financial services cluster - the AB Capital Group - for it to be able to continue to offer attractive investment opportunities and sound investment advice to encourage capital formation in the country. PHINMA also owns the Philippine franchise for a chain of budget hotels, the Microtel Inns & Suites.

On its 50th year, PHINMA looks forward to forging history anew, driven ever forward by its belief that Life Can Be Better for the Filipino.