“Could you think of a world without construction?”

This was the question posed by DMCI Founder and Chairman Emeritus David M. Consunji to a group of newly hired engineers during a Quality of Work Life Seminar (QWS), a two-day program designed to help employees better understand their profession, their responsibilities, and the company they had joined, nearly twenty years ago.

In his speech, David reflected on the evolution of construction, from when cave dwellings were first built by our ancestors down to how they formed communities and needed roads, utilities, and public places to live in comfortably. He noted that for centuries the industry relied on trial and error until the advent of civil engineering which made it possible to plan, design, and build structures with certainty.

He acknowledged that construction can be dirty, difficult, and very hazardous, yet he emphasized that it is also one of the most fulfilling professions because of its lasting impact on society. And that if any of them didn’t love construction by the end of the session, then maybe they should look for another career.

Much has changed since then. Technologies have evolved, engineering practices have advanced, and society’s expectations have grown. Yet the challenge remains the same: How do we build better structures and deliver better services to the communities we serve?

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THE STORY OF MANKIND, CONSTRUCTION, AND CIVIL ENGINEERING (A Speech by David M. Consunji)

Editor's Note: The following speech by David M. Consunji was delivered to newly hired engineers during a Quality of Work Life Seminar on February 3, 2007. The text has been lightly edited for grammar and readability, while preserving the author's original message and intent.

Adam & Eve were driven out of paradise. They had to start living through the sweat of their brow.

1. To live, they had to hunt, fish, and find plants for food and construct structures and/or dig caves to protect themselves from the weather and from wild animals.

2. In the course of time, people got wiser and so established agriculture and permanent abodes. Then they learned to build better structures with better materials and systems. Since then, construction of structures has been as important an activity as searching for food.

3. In due time, man’s undying ambition to live better prevails, and so after having enough food, he builds better structures for his comfort and progress. Also, people being social animals, to make their lives easier, come to live socially in communities. But living in communities generates common problems, especially in the building of needed structures.

4. While the food and clothing needs of the individual for living are solved generally by the individual himself, the structural needs of the community like transport, utilities, community facilities, parks, museums, communication, etc. are expensive and are generally solved by building common structures.

5. In due time, about the mid-18th century, people of the world solved many structural systems problems through the achievement and acknowledgement of the Civil Engineering Profession. And since then, trial and error has been limited to purely experimental work, like building structures for space travel. Everything else can be planned, designed, and built with confidence.

You, as young engineering graduates, struggled for many years in school to learn how to plan and design the best structures needed by a community. Now you are going to learn how to properly build, what you studied in school. You should understand better your engineering theory as you watch the structures you build grow.

Other professions, like doctors, lawyers, and salesmen, exist to meet our health, social, and economic needs. But, none of them could be as important as Civil Engineering as far as improvement in our standard of living is concerned. As a matter of fact, the standard of living of people is measured by the quality and kind of structures one builds and uses for himself. Definitely, since the beginning of time, construction has been our life-sustaining effort without which there cannot be hope for world progress. Could you think of a world without construction?

This is the historical background of construction and its importance. Remember, prior to Civil Engineering, there already was an existing construction activity. But, the construction then was generally done only after a more or less successful precedent, and any new kind of structure was built by trial and error. No wonder many famous pre-18^th century structures like St. Peter’s Basilica and Notre Dame Cathedral took a century or more to finish, and the dome of the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul collapsed and had to be rebuilt, all through trial and error. But, despite building by trial and error, history shows that building structures has always been mankind’s main hope for progress.

My reason for giving you this historical background of Mankind, Construction, and Civil Engineering is to enable all of you to appreciate and to love more your chosen profession and be competitive in building structures. Hoping that in the future this knowledge would make it easier for you to discipline yourselves to help build a globally competitive construction industry as soon as possible. Book knowledge of engineering is not enough in order to excel and make a difference in construction. One must also understand and experience Construction Management and Engineering.

Now let us look at the Civil Engineering profession as practiced in the Philippines today.

The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) has designated five (5) specialty disciplines.

1. Geotechnical - study of our earth and foundations for different purposes.

2. Structural - the art and science of designing and planning structures. The theory and the practice. You have learned the theory in school. Now the practice or the art.

3. Hydraulics, water supply, irrigation, flood control, shore protection, etc.

4. Transportation planning and designing of structures and systems for movement of goods and services.

5. Construction management and engineering. The transporting and fixing of construction materials.

Many times, each discipline affects the others. While each discipline is a specialty, it is worth your while to keep in touch with all the disciplines to be able to establish yourselves as Civil Engineering professionals and be builders. Keep improving your knowledge and understanding. The construction of a simple structure like a concrete high rise building in Makati would need a soil test, structural designer, and construction manager. A more complicated structure like a national highway from Aparri to Zamboanga will surely require the knowledge of all the five specialties to be able to solve the different problems, due to the different sites and physical situations.

Hopefully, the above will give you all enough to love construction, notwithstanding that it is dirty, difficult, and dangerous. To me, construction is fulfilling: there is adventure in searching for the best way, besides the joy of witnessing the gradual completion of a useful and beneficial structure. As you go through the different chores, you shall learn how to make construction cleaner, easier, and safer. Construction can be very simple, or you can make it difficult. The construction activities, systems, and processes respond to laws of nature and society, from excavating, to transporting and fixing of construction materials. Construction is a think and do activity. If you do not prepare for it, construction becomes expensive and awkward. What you shall learn are the acceptable systems and processes from traditional construction. More importantly, you must love it and like doing it. Otherwise, you might as well change careers. Again, to accomplish anything, one must love what one does. Now let us talk a bit about how to construct!

The first step in construction is to know and understand the plan of the structure, its specifications, and other requirements. Then, get to know the construction site. Make a summary of the quantities and the quality of materials needed. Find out how best the materials would be transported and fixed. In other words, how to build the best way is what you shall learn. So far, I have given you an idea of what construction is and most importantly why we construct. I presume knowing why we build would help us to understand deeper the meaning of construction activity and our Civil Engineering profession. Knowing how to build better is a continuing dream and a life challenge.

Raphael T. Socion, DMCI Senior MEP Manager at Shangri-La's Boracay Resort and Spa in 2009.

LESSONS THAT ENDURE (Insights by Raphael T. Socion)

I first heard the speech of Founder David M. Consunji (DMC) during the DMCI Quality of Work Life Seminar for newly hired engineers, in which I was also a participant. A copy of the speech was distributed to all attendees during the training. Although the speech was delivered in 2007, its message has remained with me throughout my career. The statement that resonated most was that "life is a continuing learning process." At that time, I understood it as a reminder to keep studying and improving my technical knowledge. However, as I gained more experience, I realized that learning extends far beyond the classroom. As a working professional, your teachers may be your supervisors, mentors, colleagues, or even the challenges you encounter along the way. Every project, challenge, success, and even failure presents an opportunity to grow both professionally and personally.

Another lesson I took from the speech was the importance of hard work, loving what you do, maintaining a healthy body and mind, and developing good character. Early in my career, I often focused on acquiring technical skills and completing tasks. As the years passed, I came to appreciate that long-term success is not determined by competence alone. It also depends on discipline, integrity, perseverance, and the ability to work well with others. These values have helped me navigate the responsibilities and challenges of my profession.

Now, almost twenty years after that speech was delivered, I find myself reflecting on its relevance in today's rapidly changing world. One realization that stands out is the importance of innovation and continuous improvement. As engineers, we are constantly looking for better, safer, and more efficient ways to accomplish our work. Technology continues to evolve, and people's desire for a more comfortable and productive life drives innovation in every industry. This reinforces the idea that learning should never stop, because staying relevant requires us to adapt, embrace new ideas, and continuously improve the way we work.

Looking back, I now appreciate the wisdom in DMC’s message even more than when I first heard it. What seemed like simple advice to a young engineer has become a guiding principle in my career. His words serve as a reminder that professional growth is a lifelong journey built on continuous learning, hard work, good character, and a willingness to innovate and adapt to change.

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A LEGACY THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE

As D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI) continues to build projects that contribute to national development, it also carries forward the values championed by its founder. Every project presents an opportunity to learn. Every challenge creates an opportunity to improve. And every generation of engineers contributes to the collective knowledge and experience that drive the company forward.

The structures David helped build continue to stand as visible symbols of his contribution to society. Equally enduring, however, is the legacy he left in the people he mentored and inspired. Through their work, his belief in excellence, lifelong learning, and love for the profession continues to shape the future of construction.

Construction has always been essential to human progress. The responsibility now rests with today's builders to continue that work and build even better for the generations that follow.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Ave V. Tragura, MBA, CLSSYB

Ave is a licensed Civil Engineer with over 16 years of international engineering and infrastructure experience across the construction, oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and energy sectors in the Philippines and Singapore. She is currently serving as Digital Communications Senior Supervisor at D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI).