[Calamba, Laguna, Philippines] - PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) inaugurated the newly built PHINMA Hall on September 18, a four-storey building that will serve as the new home for a growing number of students in South Luzon. Its 18 classrooms and seven laboratories will cater to students from courses like Criminology and Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as Senior High School (SHS).

“We are honored by the opportunity to extend the mission of PHINMA Education to South Luzon students,” said&nbsp; Eduardo Arevalo, Chief Operating Officer of the Laguna network. “The inauguration of PHINMA hall is just one of our efforts to highlight our commitment to nurturing the new generation of heroes capable of improving the lives of their families, communities, and the country through accessible quality education.”

Christopher Tan, Country Head of PHINMA Education Philippines, explained that PHINMA RCL will deliver the same student-centered, conducive, and effective learning for students that have become the hallmark of PHINMA Education. “This is what makes us successful as we try across the country to lower the barriers of helping through education and to provide a better future for our children,” he added.

To keep the spirit of Bayanihan alive not just for its students but also the greater Laguna community, PHINMA Hall is equipped with 86 solar panels to reduce its impact on the environment. Like other PHINMA Education campuses, it is also equipped with green facilities like rainwater catchment systems and sewage treatment plants. Finally, a tree planting ceremony was held during the event to underscore the network’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness.&nbsp;

Present at the inauguration were Laguna Mayor Roseller "Ross" H. Rizal and Congresswoman Charisse Anne Hernandez-Alcantara, PHINMA RCL Board Members Ramon del Rosario, Jr., Magdaleno Albarracin, Jr., Dr. Chito Salazar, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, and University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&amp;P) founder Bernardo Villegas, along with students and faculty members.&nbsp;

Together with the rest of the eight PHINMA Education schools in the Philippines, which includes PHINMA Araullo University (AU), PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (COC), PHINMA University of Iloilo (UI), PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang), Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA, and&nbsp; PHINMA St. Jude College (SJC) Manila and Quezon City Campus, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna (UCL), PHINMA RCL commits to the mission of making lives better through education.

<h1>Keeping Bayanihan Alive in Laguna: PHINMA RCL Inaugurates New School Building</h1><p>PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) inaugurated the newly built PHINMA Hall on September 18, a four-storey building that will serve as the new home for a growing number of students in South Luzon. Its 18 classrooms and seven laboratories will cater to students from courses like Criminology and Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as Senior High School (SHS).</p><p>[Calamba, Laguna, Philippines] - PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) inaugurated the newly built PHINMA Hall on September 18, a four-storey building that will serve as the new home for a growing number of students in South Luzon. Its 18 classrooms and seven laboratories will cater to students from courses like Criminology and Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as Senior High School (SHS).</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/2d3a71aca4b88f027124ea365d8e89e50e61c45f9ea1994f59875522f560af4c/RCL%20Inauguration%20005.jpg" alt="PHINMA and PHINMA Education executives, faculty, and board members in front of PHINMA Hall"/><p>“We are honored by the opportunity to extend the mission of PHINMA Education to South Luzon students,” said&nbsp; Eduardo Arevalo, Chief Operating Officer of the Laguna network. “The inauguration of PHINMA hall is just one of our efforts to highlight our commitment to nurturing the new generation of heroes capable of improving the lives of their families, communities, and the country through accessible quality education.”</p><p>Christopher Tan, Country Head of PHINMA Education Philippines, explained that PHINMA RCL will deliver the same student-centered, conducive, and effective learning for students that have become the hallmark of PHINMA Education. “This is what makes us successful as we try across the country to lower the barriers of helping through education and to provide a better future for our children,” he added.</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/acc513cf5a11e930ca959b2c96e3032a347c13d612320c51fadac5178c843e66/RCL%20Inauguration%20004.jpg" alt="New PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna building, a four-storey building with 18 classrooms and seven laboratories"/><p>To keep the spirit of Bayanihan alive not just for its students but also the greater Laguna community, PHINMA Hall is equipped with 86 solar panels to reduce its impact on the environment. Like other PHINMA Education campuses, it is also equipped with green facilities like rainwater catchment systems and sewage treatment plants. Finally, a tree planting ceremony was held during the event to underscore the network’s commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness.&nbsp;</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/7ab0daddb0b6317c9625cc925ce7f04fb9e8fac6bb314a259fd7547489b425d0/RCL%20Inauguration%20001.jpg" alt="PHINMA Education President and CEO Dr. Chito B. Salazar at the tree planting ceremony"/><p>Present at the inauguration were Laguna Mayor Roseller "Ross" H. Rizal and Congresswoman Charisse Anne Hernandez-Alcantara, PHINMA RCL Board Members Ramon del Rosario, Jr., Magdaleno Albarracin, Jr., Dr. Chito Salazar, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, and University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&amp;P) founder Bernardo Villegas, along with students and faculty members.&nbsp;</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/492eab43c14c9c98a07b32326a4585d15693a5578f93304d55b1b6a53fc24282/RCL%20Inauguration%20003.jpg" alt="PHINMA Chairman and CEO Ramon R. del Rosario, Jr. at the ribbon cutting ceremony with PHINMA and PHINMA Education executives"/><p>Together with the rest of the eight PHINMA Education schools in the Philippines, which includes PHINMA Araullo University (AU), PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (COC), PHINMA University of Iloilo (UI), PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang), Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA, and&nbsp; PHINMA St. Jude College (SJC) Manila and Quezon City Campus, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna (UCL), PHINMA RCL commits to the mission of making lives better through education.</p><p>PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) under the conglomerate PHINMA Corporation, started investing in the education services sector in 2004 through the acquisition of PHINMA Araullo University in Nueva Ecija. It has since expanded its presence across the country with its network of schools namely: PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, PHINMA University of Pangasinan, PHINMA University of Iloilo, Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu City, PHINMA Saint Jude College Manila, PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City, PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna. It also aims to expand across Southeast Asia beginning with Horizon Education in Indonesia. For more information, please visit: https://www.phinma.edu.ph.</p><p>MA Ramirez
maramirez@phinmaed.com</p>

School / University

PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (PHINMA RCL) inaugurated the newly built PHINMA Hall on September 18, a four-storey building that will serve as the new home for a growing number of students in South Luzon. Its 18 classrooms and seven laboratories will cater to students from courses like Criminology and Hospitality and Tourism Management, as well as Senior High School (SHS).

Keeping Bayanihan Alive in Laguna: PHINMA RCL Inaugurates New School Building

Asian Breast Center (ABC) joins PHINMA Education in making lives better through education through a partnership that provides world-class internship and employment opportunities to Allied Health students. The unique experience exposes students to state-of-the-art breast cancer technology only available through ABC like the Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix™, which promise to change the delivery of breast cancer care in the Philippines.

“We are still two, three steps behind the United States and the rest of the world. We can do a lot more for Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and other fields with the technology and training we have. We can bring Nursing in the Philippines into the next century and help many women detect the disease early and mitigate its symptoms at an earlier stage. And we want PHINMA Education’s students and graduates to be part of that change,” said ABC President Dr. Norman San Agustin.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Filipino women face comparatively higher risks of developing breast cancer with 1 out of 4 Filipino women expected to develop breast cancer in her lifetime. PHINMA Education’s Allied Health students learn about the field through ABC’s training programs created in partnership with affiliated hospitals in the United States particularly in the East Coast (New Jersey and New York). Exposure to cutting edge technology and international standards give them an edge in the employment landscape here and abroad.

“We want students to have an understanding of the breast cancer field in an ambulatory center dedicated to the disease,” said ABC's Transformation and Business Development Manager Leo Santos. “Our interns are well-rounded, with shifts both in the front office and therapeutic sections such as in surgery, chemotherapy, etc. as we require them to rotate across different settings. In a normal hospital, they would only be assigned to the Nursing desk, but here we encourage them to even scrub in and directly observe what’s going on.”

PHINMA Saint Jude College Dean of Allied Health Sciences, Jej Quiros, is positive that the partnership will contribute to student success. “Access to these technologies and techniques early in their careers will expand their horizons. This will also allow them to make the lives of others better, as ABC aims to make these life-saving services available to all women regardless of social class,” he said.&nbsp;

A fast-growing network of schools in Southeast Asia, PHINMA Education has nine schools in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. In SY 22-23, its 30.4% increase in enrollment versus last year resulted in a 19% revenue increase year-on-year and consolidated revenues of P4.5 billion. By prioritizing student success with key partners like the Asian Breast Center, it now boasts a 79% board passing rate for first-time takers. In addition, 71% of its graduates are employed within a year of graduation.

ABC shares PHINMA Education’s passion for increasing the employability of graduates. “In the future, we hope to provide certifications in new technology and expand opportunities beyond Nursing students. Those studying Radiological Technology may soon be able to get their certificates in rare specializations like Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix™,” added Santos. Students from other courses such as business, marketing, and accountancy are also being considered for internship and employment opportunities in ABC.



<h1>Asian Breast Center, PHINMA Education Partner to Provide World-Class Training for Allied Health Students</h1><p>Asian Breast Center (ABC) joins PHINMA Education in making lives better through education through a partnership that provides world-class internship and employment opportunities to Allied Health students. The unique experience exposes students to state-of-the-art breast cancer technology only available through ABC like the Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix™, which promise to change the delivery of breast cancer care in the Philippines.</p><p>Asian Breast Center (ABC) joins PHINMA Education in making lives better through education through a partnership that provides world-class internship and employment opportunities to Allied Health students. The unique experience exposes students to state-of-the-art breast cancer technology only available through ABC like the Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix™, which promise to change the delivery of breast cancer care in the Philippines.</p><p>“We are still two, three steps behind the United States and the rest of the world. We can do a lot more for Nursing, Radiologic Technology, and other fields with the technology and training we have. We can bring Nursing in the Philippines into the next century and help many women detect the disease early and mitigate its symptoms at an earlier stage. And we want PHINMA Education’s students and graduates to be part of that change,” said ABC President Dr. Norman San Agustin.</p><p>According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Filipino women face comparatively higher risks of developing breast cancer with 1 out of 4 Filipino women expected to develop breast cancer in her lifetime. PHINMA Education’s Allied Health students learn about the field through ABC’s training programs created in partnership with affiliated hospitals in the United States particularly in the East Coast (New Jersey and New York). Exposure to cutting edge technology and international standards give them an edge in the employment landscape here and abroad.</p><p>“We want students to have an understanding of the breast cancer field in an ambulatory center dedicated to the disease,” said ABC's Transformation and Business Development Manager Leo Santos. “Our interns are well-rounded, with shifts both in the front office and therapeutic sections such as in surgery, chemotherapy, etc. as we require them to rotate across different settings. In a normal hospital, they would only be assigned to the Nursing desk, but here we encourage them to even scrub in and directly observe what’s going on.”</p><p>PHINMA Saint Jude College Dean of Allied Health Sciences, Jej Quiros, is positive that the partnership will contribute to student success. “Access to these technologies and techniques early in their careers will expand their horizons. This will also allow them to make the lives of others better, as ABC aims to make these life-saving services available to all women regardless of social class,” he said.&nbsp;</p><p>A fast-growing network of schools in Southeast Asia, PHINMA Education has nine schools in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. In SY 22-23, its 30.4% increase in enrollment versus last year resulted in a 19% revenue increase year-on-year and consolidated revenues of P4.5 billion. By prioritizing student success with key partners like the Asian Breast Center, it now boasts a 79% board passing rate for first-time takers. In addition, 71% of its graduates are employed within a year of graduation.</p><p>ABC shares PHINMA Education’s passion for increasing the employability of graduates. “In the future, we hope to provide certifications in new technology and expand opportunities beyond Nursing students. Those studying Radiological Technology may soon be able to get their certificates in rare specializations like Molecular Breast Imaging and Thermalytix™,” added Santos. Students from other courses such as business, marketing, and accountancy are also being considered for internship and employment opportunities in ABC.

</p><p>PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) under the conglomerate PHINMA Corporation, started investing in the education services sector in 2004 through the acquisition of PHINMA Araullo University in Nueva Ecija. It has since expanded its presence across the country with its network of schools namely: PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, PHINMA University of Pangasinan, PHINMA University of Iloilo, Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu City, PHINMA Saint Jude College in Manila, PHINMA Republican College in Quezon City, PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna. It also aims to expand across Southeast Asia beginning with Horizon Education in Indonesia. For more information, please visit: https://www.phinma.edu.ph.</p><p>MRA Ramirez
maramirez@phinmaed.com</p>

Fitness / Healthcare

Medical / Hospital

Advertising / Promotion / PR

Asian Breast Center, PHINMA Education Partner to Provide World-Class Training for Allied Health Students

In SY 22-23, PHINMA Education gained the trust of 124,501 students. This is the highest number of enrollees logged in the network’s 19-year history. Board passing results remain high and campus improvements continue in order to accommodate an even bigger number of students.

“We believe that the success of our students is much more meaningful because of their lives’ circumstances,” said PHINMA Corporation Chairman and CEO Ramon del Rosario Jr in a July 17 press briefing. “Underserved, first generation students who are able to pursue dignified lives and make the lives of others better too.”

A fast-growing network of schools in Southeast Asia, PHINMA Education has nine schools in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. In SY 22-23, its 30.4% increase in enrollment versus last year resulted in a 19% revenue increase year-on-year and consolidated revenues of P4.5 billion.

“This year is a convergence of our model continuing to show promise, the growing need for the services we provide, and our business doing well on all aspects. We hope to be able to reach more and more underserved students who need quality education the most, so that they can uplift themselves, their families, and communities,” explained PHINMA Education President and CEO Dr. Chito Salazar.

PHINMA Education students posted an overall passing rate in licensure exams of 79% for first-time takers in S.Y. 2022-2023.&nbsp; Throughout the year, students and schools across the network were recognized for ranking among the top nationwide across several disciplines. For instance, PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (COC) and Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA were ranked first in Criminology and Optometry, respectively.&nbsp;

Graduates similarly showed stellar results in Nursing (98% board passing rate), Electrical Engineering (98%), Elementary Education (92%), Optometry (90%), Dentistry (90%), Pharmacy (89%), and Mechanical Engineering (85%). The network celebrated 27 topnotchers, adding up to a total of 143 topnotchers since 2004.&nbsp;

In Horizon Karawang, the first school managed by PHINMA Education in Indonesia, students Muhammad Rakha and Meisya Rafacintya were chosen for the regional Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation - NEXTGen Leadership Program. They will be involved in projects that focus on mental health in Asia.

Employability and Making the Lives of Others Better

“By intent and design, PHINMA Education caters to those who need it most. Because of this, we did away with prohibitive entrance exams, provided financial assistance and psycho-social interventions, and tailored our learning strategies to their capabilities and resources. Now, as the economy recovers from the events of the past three years, we are focusing on empowering our students and graduates even further,” said Chief Learning Officer, Francis Larios.

According to PHINMA Education’s in-house Analytics Group, 71% of students are employed within one year of graduation, a number expected to improve in the coming years. “To help improve employability, the network has more than 450 active industry partners that help train and equip the students with skills appropriate to each industry’s needs. These are companies in the field of allied health, marketing, engineering, IT-BPOs, and more,” added Dr. Salazar.

The network also launched the Making the Lives of Others Better (MLOB) Fellowship Program to encourage students, employees, and communities to contribute to the mission in their own ways, using their own resources. “Face-to-face fellowships have been held and special attention has been paid to Criminology students who will eventually join the country's police force,” added PHINMA Education Country Head - Philippines, Christopher Tan. “We will also have an all-female Criminology batch in one of our schools.”

Green Technology and Additional Facilities

“Greening our campuses remains a priority to manage costs and ensure we have a positive impact on our environment and society,” explained Chief Strategy Officer Trissa Manalastas-Menardo. To date, 8 out of 10 campuses have solar panels, 5 out of 10 have rainwater catchment systems, and 3 out of 10 have sewage treatment plants. “Rest assured that we will work towards having all these facilities across the schools,” she added.

To accommodate its steadily growing number of students, PHINMA Education opened two new campuses — PHINMA COC Iligan Campus and PHINMA Araullo University (AU) San Jose Campus — and one Dentistry building in SWU PHINMA. Further, renovations in PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City (SJC QC), PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (RCL), and Horizon Karawang in West Java, Indonesia were completed. Another new building is also underway in PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang).

“Our students and their success have allowed us to expand so much further than we ever dreamed of 19 years ago. It gives us great honor to pursue this mission along with all of you and hope you are similarly excited for how many more lives we can make better through education,” del Rosario concluded.

<h1>PHINMA Education Celebrates Highest Enrollment, Student Success in SY 22-23</h1><p>In SY 22-23, PHINMA Education gained the trust of 124,501 students. This is the highest number of enrollees logged in the network’s 19-year history. Board passing results remain high and campus improvements continue in order to accommodate an even bigger number of students.</p><p>In SY 22-23, PHINMA Education gained the trust of 124,501 students. This is the highest number of enrollees logged in the network’s 19-year history. Board passing results remain high and campus improvements continue in order to accommodate an even bigger number of students.</p><p>“We believe that the success of our students is much more meaningful because of their lives’ circumstances,” said PHINMA Corporation Chairman and CEO Ramon del Rosario Jr in a July 17 press briefing. “Underserved, first generation students who are able to pursue dignified lives and make the lives of others better too.”</p><p>A fast-growing network of schools in Southeast Asia, PHINMA Education has nine schools in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. In SY 22-23, its 30.4% increase in enrollment versus last year resulted in a 19% revenue increase year-on-year and consolidated revenues of P4.5 billion.</p><p>“This year is a convergence of our model continuing to show promise, the growing need for the services we provide, and our business doing well on all aspects. We hope to be able to reach more and more underserved students who need quality education the most, so that they can uplift themselves, their families, and communities,” explained PHINMA Education President and CEO Dr. Chito Salazar.</p><h2>Our Students, Their Success</h2><p>PHINMA Education students posted an overall passing rate in licensure exams of 79% for first-time takers in S.Y. 2022-2023.&nbsp; Throughout the year, students and schools across the network were recognized for ranking among the top nationwide across several disciplines. For instance, PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College (COC) and Southwestern University (SWU) PHINMA were ranked first in Criminology and Optometry, respectively.&nbsp;</p><p>Graduates similarly showed stellar results in Nursing (98% board passing rate), Electrical Engineering (98%), Elementary Education (92%), Optometry (90%), Dentistry (90%), Pharmacy (89%), and Mechanical Engineering (85%). The network celebrated 27 topnotchers, adding up to a total of 143 topnotchers since 2004.&nbsp;</p><p>In Horizon Karawang, the first school managed by PHINMA Education in Indonesia, students Muhammad Rakha and Meisya Rafacintya were chosen for the regional Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation - NEXTGen Leadership Program. They will be involved in projects that focus on mental health in Asia.</p><h2>Employability and Making the Lives of Others Better</h2><p>“By intent and design, PHINMA Education caters to those who need it most. Because of this, we did away with prohibitive entrance exams, provided financial assistance and psycho-social interventions, and tailored our learning strategies to their capabilities and resources. Now, as the economy recovers from the events of the past three years, we are focusing on empowering our students and graduates even further,” said Chief Learning Officer, Francis Larios.</p><p>According to PHINMA Education’s in-house Analytics Group, 71% of students are employed within one year of graduation, a number expected to improve in the coming years. “To help improve employability, the network has more than 450 active industry partners that help train and equip the students with skills appropriate to each industry’s needs. These are companies in the field of allied health, marketing, engineering, IT-BPOs, and more,” added Dr. Salazar.</p><p>The network also launched the Making the Lives of Others Better (MLOB) Fellowship Program to encourage students, employees, and communities to contribute to the mission in their own ways, using their own resources. “Face-to-face fellowships have been held and special attention has been paid to Criminology students who will eventually join the country's police force,” added PHINMA Education Country Head - Philippines, Christopher Tan. “We will also have an all-female Criminology batch in one of our schools.”</p><h2>Green Technology and Additional Facilities</h2><p>“Greening our campuses remains a priority to manage costs and ensure we have a positive impact on our environment and society,” explained Chief Strategy Officer Trissa Manalastas-Menardo. To date, 8 out of 10 campuses have solar panels, 5 out of 10 have rainwater catchment systems, and 3 out of 10 have sewage treatment plants. “Rest assured that we will work towards having all these facilities across the schools,” she added.</p><p>To accommodate its steadily growing number of students, PHINMA Education opened two new campuses — PHINMA COC Iligan Campus and PHINMA Araullo University (AU) San Jose Campus — and one Dentistry building in SWU PHINMA. Further, renovations in PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City (SJC QC), PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna (RCL), and Horizon Karawang in West Java, Indonesia were completed. Another new building is also underway in PHINMA University of Pangasinan (UPang).</p><p>“Our students and their success have allowed us to expand so much further than we ever dreamed of 19 years ago. It gives us great honor to pursue this mission along with all of you and hope you are similarly excited for how many more lives we can make better through education,” del Rosario concluded.</p><p>PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) under the conglomerate PHINMA Corporation, started investing in the education services sector in 2004 through the acquisition of PHINMA Araullo University in Nueva Ecija. It has since expanded its presence across the country with its network of schools namely: PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, PHINMA University of Pangasinan, PHINMA University of Iloilo, Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu City, PHINMA Saint Jude College in Manila, PHINMA Republican College in Quezon City, PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna. It also aims to expand across Southeast Asia beginning with Horizon Education in Indonesia. For more information, please visit: https://www.phinma.edu.ph.</p><p>R Ramirez
+639052535719
maramirez@phinmaed.com</p>

PHINMA Education Celebrates Highest Enrollment, Student Success in SY 22-23

Fifteen years ago, high school senior Michel Galos was not looking forward to his graduation. His father was a carpenter earning 120 pesos a day and his mother was a homemaker with little additional income. Despite walking to school and staying in the library during breaks because he had nothing to eat, the Cagayan de Oro native would become the batch valedictorian. However, graduation day was bittersweet: “My parents told me that they cannot send me to college anymore,” he recalls.

But sitting in his office now at PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, one of the network’s ten colleges and universities, it is clear that “Sir Mich” would not be the educator he is if not for his firsthand experience of being an underserved student. It was a college scholarship grant from PHINMA Education that enabled him to get a degree in Secondary Education. Today, he is a Learning Manager for a network that serves over 124,000 students — students who, he says, are exactly like him.

“We focus on making sure we are the right people for our students,” says PHINMA Education Country Chief for People Marlon Galvez, who leads almost 3,000 teachers, administrators, and support staff across the Philippines. “A big part of that is meeting them where they are, in order to help them get where they want to be. Each member of the organization must believe in the mission if we want to make a real impact.”

A majority of PHINMA Education’s students come from households likely to be closer to the poverty line based on the Poverty Probability Index (PPI). They are also often the first in their families to go college and are largely unprepared for it. “They lack suitable role models and skills for academic success, and have lower self-esteem than their peers. This is why we approach learning differently. We know that our work can uplift the lives of our students, their families, and their communities,” Galvez explains.

“I consider myself as a returnee to PHINMA Education,” says Mae Estuche-Olpoc, International Operations Manager based in Horizon Karawang, a school managed by PHINMA Education in Indonesia. A scholar and graduate of PHINMA University of Iloilo (UI), she worked in the hospitality industry in the Philippines and Thailand before joining the organization as Center Manager at the PHINMA Training Center (PTC) Myanmar, which remained open until 2020. Her international journey began in an unlikely place: the salt beds of Guimaras.

“We worked hard to survive by selling fish and harvesting salt in the salt beds by the shore. I was shuffled from one family to another when my lola couldn’t afford to send us to school anymore,” she shares. But now, having worked in three countries across Southeast Asia, Estuche-Olpoc notes that underserved students have a lot in common. “Besides the language [barrier], they are just like us — they have dreams and aspirations. They also want to finish their studies to uplift the lives of their families.”



“Being a member of the PHINMA Education family means commitment to the mission,” says Dr. Jomar Urbano, Dean of the College of Education of the PHINMA Education Laguna Network. Born to a family of Nueva Ecija farmers, he received a scholarship at PHINMA Araullo University, where he would also later get his master’s and doctorate degrees. “This scholarship stopped the domino in our family of not finishing education and gave hope and inspiration to other families around us. This is why we keep in mind that the mission is always bigger than ourselves.”

Dean Jejomar Quiros of PHINMA Education NCR Network agrees. “Having been part of the organization for almost 10 years and counting, this is already my second home. It is an honor and privilege to prepare our students not just for fulfilling careers but also to be engaged citizens who are able to make the lives of others better.” Quiros, a presidential scholar and graduate of PHINMA University of Pangasinan, served as Dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences in PHINMA UI before holding the same position in NCR.

Mae Estuche-Olpoc, Dr. Jomar Urbano, Michel Galos, and Jejomar Quiros shared their stories at the first PHINMA Educators’ Day held virtually last June 16.&nbsp;

“We used the term educator as we want to emphasize the different roles we all play in creating a vibrant learning environment for our students. And when we say learn, we don't just mean helping them acquire knowledge and skills, we mean, just as importantly, that we care for each one of them, that we make them feel accepted for who they are, and we urge them to use their skills to serve others. This is what makes a PHINMA educator different,” explained Country Chief - Philippines Christopher Tan.

Also present at the event were Country Chief - Indonesia Dr. Raymundo Reyes, Chief Operating Officers, and employees from the Philippines and Indonesia.

PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) is the education services subsidiary of PHINMA Corporation, a Filipino-owned conglomerate with investments in education, property development, hospitality, and construction materials. PEHI owns and operates nine schools across the Philippines and manages one in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia.

<h1>From Scholars to Educators: PHINMA Education’s Own, Paying It Forward</h1><p>Since 2004, PHINMA Education has been tailoring its learning strategies to benefit those who need it most. Today, it has expanded its mission to serve the underserved across nine institutions in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. It recently held its first educators' day to spotlight former scholars who are now educators.</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/15e4c278ab8e587758e76820f03cc57eef390d64b19410ae7d0678ca7d9bc4c7/1%20PHINMA%20Educators%20Day%20-%20Logos.png" alt="L-R: Mae Estuche-Olpoc, Dr. Jomar Urbano, Michel Galos, and Jejomar Quiros shared their stories at the first PHINMA Educators’ Day held virtually last June 16.&nbsp;"/><p>Fifteen years ago, high school senior Michel Galos was not looking forward to his graduation. His father was a carpenter earning 120 pesos a day and his mother was a homemaker with little additional income. Despite walking to school and staying in the library during breaks because he had nothing to eat, the Cagayan de Oro native would become the batch valedictorian. However, graduation day was bittersweet: “My parents told me that they cannot send me to college anymore,” he recalls.</p><p>But sitting in his office now at PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, one of the network’s ten colleges and universities, it is clear that “Sir Mich” would not be the educator he is if not for his firsthand experience of being an underserved student. It was a college scholarship grant from PHINMA Education that enabled him to get a degree in Secondary Education. Today, he is a Learning Manager for a network that serves over 124,000 students — students who, he says, are exactly like him.</p><h2>The Right People for Our Students</h2><p>“We focus on making sure we are the right people for our students,” says PHINMA Education Country Chief for People Marlon Galvez, who leads almost 3,000 teachers, administrators, and support staff across the Philippines. “A big part of that is meeting them where they are, in order to help them get where they want to be. Each member of the organization must believe in the mission if we want to make a real impact.”</p><p>A majority of PHINMA Education’s students come from households likely to be closer to the poverty line based on the Poverty Probability Index (PPI). They are also often the first in their families to go college and are largely unprepared for it. “They lack suitable role models and skills for academic success, and have lower self-esteem than their peers. This is why we approach learning differently. We know that our work can uplift the lives of our students, their families, and their communities,” Galvez explains.</p><h2>Becoming a PHINMA Educator</h2><p>“I consider myself as a returnee to PHINMA Education,” says Mae Estuche-Olpoc, International Operations Manager based in Horizon Karawang, a school managed by PHINMA Education in Indonesia. A scholar and graduate of PHINMA University of Iloilo (UI), she worked in the hospitality industry in the Philippines and Thailand before joining the organization as Center Manager at the PHINMA Training Center (PTC) Myanmar, which remained open until 2020. Her international journey began in an unlikely place: the salt beds of Guimaras.</p><p>“We worked hard to survive by selling fish and harvesting salt in the salt beds by the shore. I was shuffled from one family to another when my lola couldn’t afford to send us to school anymore,” she shares. But now, having worked in three countries across Southeast Asia, Estuche-Olpoc notes that underserved students have a lot in common. “Besides the language [barrier], they are just like us — they have dreams and aspirations. They also want to finish their studies to uplift the lives of their families.”

</p><h2>Commitment to the Mission</h2><p>“Being a member of the PHINMA Education family means commitment to the mission,” says Dr. Jomar Urbano, Dean of the College of Education of the PHINMA Education Laguna Network. Born to a family of Nueva Ecija farmers, he received a scholarship at PHINMA Araullo University, where he would also later get his master’s and doctorate degrees. “This scholarship stopped the domino in our family of not finishing education and gave hope and inspiration to other families around us. This is why we keep in mind that the mission is always bigger than ourselves.”</p><p>Dean Jejomar Quiros of PHINMA Education NCR Network agrees. “Having been part of the organization for almost 10 years and counting, this is already my second home. It is an honor and privilege to prepare our students not just for fulfilling careers but also to be engaged citizens who are able to make the lives of others better.” Quiros, a presidential scholar and graduate of PHINMA University of Pangasinan, served as Dean of the College of Allied Health Sciences in PHINMA UI before holding the same position in NCR.</p><h2>Paying It Forward</h2><p>Mae Estuche-Olpoc, Dr. Jomar Urbano, Michel Galos, and Jejomar Quiros shared their stories at the first PHINMA Educators’ Day held virtually last June 16.&nbsp;</p><p>“We used the term educator as we want to emphasize the different roles we all play in creating a vibrant learning environment for our students. And when we say learn, we don't just mean helping them acquire knowledge and skills, we mean, just as importantly, that we care for each one of them, that we make them feel accepted for who they are, and we urge them to use their skills to serve others. This is what makes a PHINMA educator different,” explained Country Chief - Philippines Christopher Tan.</p><p>Also present at the event were Country Chief - Indonesia Dr. Raymundo Reyes, Chief Operating Officers, and employees from the Philippines and Indonesia.</p><p>PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) is the education services subsidiary of PHINMA Corporation, a Filipino-owned conglomerate with investments in education, property development, hospitality, and construction materials. PEHI owns and operates nine schools across the Philippines and manages one in Karawang, West Java, Indonesia.</p><img style="max-width:100%;height:auto;" src="https://vritimes-public.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/production/34020d676521fa8ba9fa863e52d0c47419eb47e55776332ef5c9654615608b00/2%20PHINMA%20Educators%20Day%20-%20Logos.png" alt="Faculty and administration members all took part in the&nbsp;PHINMA Educators’ Day held virtually last June 16. "/><p>PHINMA Education Holdings, Inc. (PEHI) under the conglomerate PHINMA Corporation, started investing in the education services sector in 2004 through the acquisition of PHINMA Araullo University in Nueva Ecija. It has since expanded its presence across the country with its network of schools namely: PHINMA Cagayan de Oro College, PHINMA University of Pangasinan, PHINMA University of Iloilo, Southwestern University PHINMA in Cebu City, PHINMA Saint Jude College Manila, PHINMA Saint Jude College Quezon City, PHINMA Rizal College of Laguna, and PHINMA Union College of Laguna. It also aims to expand across Southeast Asia beginning with Horizon Education in Indonesia. For more information, please visit: https://www.phinma.edu.ph.</p><p>Roseanne Ramirez
+639052535719
maramirez@phinmaed.com</p>

Event

Since 2004, PHINMA Education has been tailoring its learning strategies to benefit those who need it most. Today, it has expanded its mission to serve the underserved across nine institutions in the Philippines and one in Indonesia. It recently held its first educators' day to spotlight former scholars who are now educators.