The following story was published in Inquirer RED’s August-September 2022 issue and has been edited for length and clarity.
A traditional Filipino home houses and nurtures families that span multiple generations. It comes from the innate parental desire to provide for and secure a comfortable future for our children by leaving behind a legacy in the form of a physical haven that can be passed on in later years. Houses are not simply built to serve an immediate purpose, instead, they must last for those yet to come. However, our choice of residence cannot just be a place for rest. Without anywhere to go, the pandemic has shown us that our abodes are central to our lives and must be ready to accommodate any aspect of our lifestyle. They do not just serve the singular purpose of promoting our survival, but they must also encourage living to the absolute fullest.
Demonstrating the full understanding of these principles that make for a true Filipino home, a newcomer in the Victor Consunji Development Corporation (VCDC) had begun to carve its own path and make a name for itself in a room full of industry giants. In the business of crafting homes, VCDC separates itself from the competition through the promise of carefully made refuges that are guaranteed to last generations and are tailor-made to suit how you want to live.
Built From the Past
Preparing the perfect family homestead is familiar territory for the VCDC founder, Victor Consunji. He is the grandson of David Consunji, the mind behind one of the biggest construction companies in the Philippines, D.M. Consunji, Inc (DMCI). Surrounded by knowledge coming from the most prominent experts in the industry, Victor was given early exposure to the various tricks of the trade that can only be learned from the best of the best.
Beyond his education at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, as well as from the Harvard School of Business, he was able to hone his affinity for ownership and management from involvement in the family business. From there he acquired the all-important values of responsible business ownership and customer focus, traits he imparted to his very own corporation. As someone who believes in education beyond the classroom, the emphasis on following and listening to customers can be attributed to his upbringing. As a young man, he lived in the United States where he frequently moved from one place to another. From that, he was constantly exposed to different people with different traits, ideas, and beliefs, differences he now believes are all important and worth listening to.
Building then can be considered second nature to Victor given his near-lifetime exposure to the craft. Utilizing everything he had learned so far, he was quick to put them to good use by working on smaller projects to build his brand. However, desiring to grow further and establish his name in the industry, his own legacy beyond that of his family, he sought to find his own niche where he could flourish. The commitment to a customer-driven construction process for the goal of building long-lasting, future-proof homes, is the principle VCDC was built upon.
Building For the Future
These contributing factors to Victor’s growth all come together within the VCDC and becomes the driving force behind their sole purpose of building for the future. But what exactly does constructing for the coming times particularly mean? VCDC understands that the central ethos supporting their company can mean anything and everything. Without strict criteria to hold them back they are able to provide a holistic and all-around effort to crafting artisanal structures that survive the test of time beyond just focusing on sturdiness and physical resilience. While they recognize that true Filipino homes are made to be resistant to anything, they also see that there are other tests of longevity that go beyond the physical realm.
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Across everything they build, VCDC ensures that their customers are guaranteed the opportunity for collaboration and participation in the overall construction process of their home. Each dwelling can become a personalized paradise because of the multiple configurations, and spaces for customization VCDC offers. They have particularly designed the base structure of each unit to be aptly equipped to accommodate any customizations. Simply put, they have set the canvas for you to let your imagination run wild. While selecting from a specially curated list of fully designed homes can be exciting and rewarding, nothing beats realizing your dream home executed down to the simplest of details.
Building for the future however means very little without a clear and visible one to stand firmly on. The challenge of climate change and the continuing degradation of our surroundings is a constant reminder of our vulnerability as a species and the current undesirable state of our world. With that much uncertainty at the hands of an uncontrollable force, VCDC understands that action must be taken within our smaller communities to control what we can. Knocking down two birds with one stone, they promise environmental sustainability through the remarkable structural integrity of each home. These not only are capable of withstanding the elements, but they require minimal maintenance, minimizing the energy and the resources that would have been used in the effort.
Beyond technical prowess in engineering, VCDC with its forward-thinking philosophy continues to embrace the growing role technology plays in our lives. In support of their commitment to the environment, technology is being integrated into every VCDC community through solar panelling and rain capture technology. Furthermore, acknowledging how deeply intrinsic it is to our daily activities, state-of-the-art communication and smart technology are also installed within each dwelling. Each property is further future-proofed by outfitting it with the latest technology, ensuring continued connectivity.
This is the standard that VCDC has set itself upon. They see themselves as the tailors in a room full of retail stores in the real estate development business. It is understood that not only do the times change, but people, and lifestyles too. And through customization, preference, and the promise of a secure future, they want to ensure that families who stay in their homes will continue to love them as the years go by.
