THE VALUE OF A GOOD HOME
More than just homes, VICTOR CONSUNJI has built a name for himself apart from his prominent forefathers
There comes a time wherein a child must venture from the tutelage of their parents. In American culture, children leave their parents’ homes as they enter university. For Asians, autonomy from parental guidance is fully realized once a child gets professional and financial security later in life. But these trials are always in the child’s best interest: American teenagers move out to promote independent decision-making, and Asian culture tends to be more caring and family-oriented.
For Victor Consunji, being independent is more than just leaving the household—it is about building his own legacy. As the grandson of David Consunji, founder of David M. Consunji Incorporated (DMCI), and the son of DMCI’s current president, Isidro Consunji, going solo seems like a bold move. Victor learned about construction from his family’s business at a young age and established his own firm with his unique vision. Now, he looks to shake up the industry with a future-oriented mindset focused on constant innovation and ease of living.
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
Victor was never forced into the business as a young kid, despite his family’s prominent position. “I was exposed to construction from a very early age, almost as early as I could walk. I was always asked what I wanted to be when I grow up. Of course, in a kid’s simplistic thinking, I said I wanted to be an engineer. That’s something I repeated over and over and carried on and thankfully I happen to be pretty good at that.” Victor took up Civil Engineering at the University of the Philippines, but this interest was not born out of convenience but by passion. “Whether or not my family was in construction, I don’t think that had as big of a part in me being in engineering than most people would expect. As a kid, I always loved putting things together and taking things apart. That [kind of] curiosity is something some people just have.”
Fresh out of college, Victor laid the groundwork for his own company. Succession-planning wasn’t a mainstream plan within the Consunji household, and Victor had a strong urge to offer something new to the table. “I wanted to see what it’s like to actually start from the bottom, from scratch, and build something up. Right out of university, I started my own little company with a fifty-thousand-peso cement mixer. We started off doing landscaping projects and little house renovations. It wasn’t for several years before I got my first official major house renovation.”
A LEGACY BUILT
It took some time before he evolved his landscaping startup into a development business—twelve years to be exact. It was a steep hill to climb, but Victor knew that he wanted to create something of value for the community. Operating on an office staff of sixteen, Victor’s unconventional management skills— contrary to his father’s corporately-structured firm—give his team control over their time and encourages free reign on their tasks. “I expect my people to be accountable and to take pride in their work—to be the best version of what they’re supposed to do. That includes thinking that your job description is not your limiting factor. I expect people to solve problems on their own. I expect them to suggest new methods or to improve things.”
But most of all, apart from a dynamic work attitude, Victor instills the value of empathy on his team and on himself. “We are—out of all the industries—in the housing industry. It is literally, in some cases, the only time that someone will buy themselves a house. It could be the one singular time in their lifetime that they buy something that will last forever for their family. Empathy is probably the single biggest quality that’s required so that you meet their needs.”
WORTH SO MUCH MORE
The construction industry can be taxing, but the fruits of labor are rewarding. Not only does the industry provide people with the basic need of shelter, but also an opportunity to build their own future—a space they can truly call their own—and this future looks bright in Victor’s eyes. “I have high hopes for the construction and real estate industry. There are a lot of people who need houses and a lot of infrastructure projects that need to be done just to address basic needs today. If we can get those basic needs addressed, it gives everybody the opportunity to start thinking beyond basic survival. I’m hoping that within the next ten years or so, we would make great strides towards that.”
However, this future cannot be realized solely by erecting new structures and offering more alternate spaces of living. It’s high time that firms turn to a more sustainable and futureproof approach that’s geared towards ease of living. For Victor, that is the core of his company, and all of his innovations and contributions—from build customizability to energy-saving design—are grounded on the principle of fairness as taught to Victor by his father. “I think the most important thing that my parents have taught me is you have to be as fair as possible to all the stakeholders in whatever endeavor you’re doing. No matter what you do, everybody’s got to walk away feeling like they’ve gotten something of value, otherwise, you are not adding anything to society.”
To live a life with value is to live a life with meaning. Victor’s success and perseverance gave him the opportunity to be a part of an industry that, by default, spreads the joy of being able to live the best life. “I’ve been blessed [because] I get to already be in an industry that is meaningful because it makes people happy naturally. I think that’s pretty special, to have that privilege where you can say you truly do try to make people’s lives better.” As the sun sets on Victor’s every day, he can rest assured that through his vision, a family can wake up to a new tomorrow and aspire to live a meaningful life.