Melito S. Salazar, Jr., columnist and Vice President of the Manila Bulletin and an alumnus of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, succumbed to cancer at the age of 69. He had served in UP as a Director of the UP Institute for Small Scale Industries, and Associate Professor of the UP College of Business Administration. The UP community extends its sincere condolences to his family and loved ones.
Salazar received from the University of the Philippines Diliman his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Master’s degree in Business Administration in 1971 and 1974, respectively. He also received further training from Harvard Business School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of North Carolina, and Euro-Asia Centre of INSEAD.
In 1996, Salazar was honored with the University of the Philippines Alumni Association (UPAA) Professional Award for his outstanding contributions in the field of Business Administration-Management. He was also the first Filipino who received a Special Honor Award by the World Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, as a pioneer in SME development.
Throughout his career, Salazar headed several private and non-government organizations. He chaired Inter-Asia Development Bank; International Center for Innovation, Transformation, and Excellence in Governance; Quickminds Corporation; was a President of the Management Association of the Philippines; and Director of the University of St. La Salle Bacolod and PhilsFirst Insurance Corp.
As a public servant, he was a former member of the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Vice Chairman and Managing head of the Board of Investments, and Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.
He is survived by his wife, Amaryllis, and children and children-in-law, Maileen and Nick Bishop, Marco and Kristina, and Miguel and Joyce; grandchildren Tamlin, Liam and Miro; and siblings Mario Antoni and Pam Salazar, and Lanniene, and Romy Capalad.
Written by Marie Ylenette Reforzado (UP OAR)