BIZ BUZZ: Phinma’s Salazar gets standing ovation
Phinma Corp. had reason to smile across time zones after its president and COO, Chito Salazar, took center stage in London—this time not for a boardroom talk, but for a lifetime achievement honor that put Philippine education leadership in the global spotlight.
Salazar was formally inducted into the Education Leaders Forum Fellowship 2026 during a special ceremony on Jan. 20 at the historic Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, a venue more accustomed to legal luminaries than education reformers.
The occasion gathered some of the world’s most influential education leaders, all there to recognize work that has quietly—but steadily—changed lives.
Education Leaders Forum executive chair Vikas Pota credited Salazar’s leadership for impacting more than 170,000 underserved youth in the Philippines and Indonesia.
He called Salazar’s work a powerful reminder that education, when done right, can move generations—not just graduation rates.
Salazar stood as the sole Filipino inductee for the 2026 fellowship.
His resume reads like a map of reform, from the private sector to policy work, anchored by his leadership at Phinma Education, Philippine Business for Education and his advisory role at EdCom II.
At Phinma Education, Salazar became known for championing a bluntly honest approach to learning: a “bare-bones, no-frills, brass-knuckles” model that cuts costs without cutting corners. The formula worked.
From turnaround acquisitions to campus expansions, Phinma Education has grown into Southeast Asia’s largest private higher education network, serving 178,000 students in 17 campuses.
For Salazar, however, the applause circles back to purpose.
“We are grateful to the Education Leaders Forum for this recognition, and for giving us a space to meet partners who share our belief that education can change lives for the better. We continue to grow and look for opportunities where we are most needed; constantly looking to our north star—the millions of underserved, low-income learners who need access to quality education to improve their lives,” Salazar said.
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