David Consunji: Grandfather of PH construction industry

Pioneering engineer and industrialist David Consunji, the founding chair of construction and engineering conglomerate DMCI Holdings, was posthumously named by the government as the “Grandfather of the Construction Industry.”

The posthumous recognition was given by the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.

The award was conferred by Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez during the annual Philippine Construction Congress at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). DMCI Holdings chair and president Isidro Consunji and D.M. Consunji Inc. president and chief executive officer Jorge A. Consunji, sons of the late DMCI founder, received the award.

Consunji, who passed away in September at the age of 95, founded the DMCI group of companies on the belief that “an honest contractor can make a reasonable profit.” He grew DMCI Holdings into a construction, power, mining and property conglomerate.

“His passion to build was equaled only by his commitment to serve,” DMCI Holdings said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday.

While Consunji, who studied civil engineering at the University of the Philippines, was known for constructing iconic buildings, luxury hotels and public infrastructure, his most treasured project is the UP Chapel, which was built with the combined efforts of four national artists.

Consunji also served as secretary of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications from 1970 to 1975.

He was a papal awardee of the Knighthood of Saint Sylvester in 1988, Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) Man of the Year in 1996 and one of the four awardees of The Outstanding Filipino of 2002.