A tribute to Delfin Wenceslao Jr.

I met Delfin Wenceslao Jr. sometime in 2017 at one of the events of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. I was board member of the chamber that year and Del was an active participant in our many events.

Del and I became fast friends. Although much my senior, Del was wise and engaging, with a good sense of humor. Despite his stature in life, he was as humble as they come. We would engage in long conversations on how to “fix the country’s problems.” We shared many laughs – especially about the comedy of errors that is all too common in government. Del had a beguiling personality.

For those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing Del, the man is a maverick among Filipino entrepreneurs. He organized a small construction company called D.M. Wenceslao and Associates Inc. (DMWAI) back in 1960. Through the turbulent decades that followed, he steered his company to become a fully integrated engineering, construction and land development company – one among an elite group with a quadruple A certification. Del represented the best among Filipino businessmen.

His enduring legacy is ASEANA City in Manila Bay. Del had a vision of building a city that would put Metro Manila on the global map in terms of modernity, livability and quality of life. A city that would rival Singapore, Sydney and Seoul. I am privy to the hardships and political jockeying Del had to endure to secure the license to reclaim 107 hectares of land in Manila Bay. The ambitious project broke ground in 1999 and was finished by the turn of the century.

Unfortunately, Del passed away in 2021. The management of DMWAI is now in the hands of his better half, Dra. Sylvia Wenceslao, and four sons. Two of his sons, Delfin Angelo (Buds) and Paolo Vincent (Paolo), have become good friends of mine. They share their father’s work ethic, expertise and humility. DMWAI is managed professionally with great ambitions. It makes me proud to see a home-grown Filipino company rise to a level of global competitiveness and endure generational succession.

ASEANA City is a fully functioning city today, albeit still in its early stages of development. True to Del’s vision, ASEANA is characterized by wide avenues, a superfluity of open space and many green urban elements. It is a walking city with wide sidewalks, interconnected arcades and sky bridges (these will become more apparent as more buildings are built). Its security surveillance system is as advanced as that used in London. ASEANA is home to the City of Dreams, Ayala Mall, Singapore School, numerous luxury condominiums and Grade-A office buildings. Saint Luke’s Hospital is presently under construction too.

Buds and Paolo recently launched DMWAI’s newest project called PARQAL. The word “PARQAL” is a contraction of the words “park” and “kalye.” It consists of nine low-rise office towers nearly a kilometer long with a sprawling mall in its first two floors. It is ASEANA’s answer to Boni High Street, except with a domed roof to protect visitors from the heat and rain. Sixty percent of PARQAL is open space with landscaped greeneries, an amphitheater, water features and soon, a sports field. It is home to the wide and interesting mix of retail shops and restaurants. It’s a perfect place to spend time with friends and family.

It was Del’s second death anniversary last month. Owing that it is All Saints’ Day today, I honor this great Filipino for his strong entrepreneurial spirit, his industry and love for country. Del’s legacy lives on through his sons.

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The Japanese government takes care of its own. I recently met with newly landed Japanese consul general Takahiro Hanada, who briefed me on a game-changing program available to second generation Japanese descendants.

Following World War 2, numerous Japanese nationals in the Philippines were forcibly repatriated to Japan, leaving behind their Filipino wives and children. Many went into hiding and were forced to live in impoverished conditions. Some lived without ever obtaining Filipino or Japanese citizenship.

To integrate them back into society, the Japanese government launched a program that grants Japanese nationality to Japanese descendants. This includes repatriation to Japan without fines or fees.

To avail, Japanese descendants are encouraged to reach out to Philippine-Nikkei-jin Legal Support Center. They will be conducting qualifying interviews in Puerto Princesa in November and December 2023 and in Cebu January-February 2024. Those interested to avail of this should bring any of the following: Birth certificate, parent’s marriage certificate, parent’s death certificate, an affidavit from a witness, baptismal certificate, statelessness certification, records of captivity, photographs indicating Japanese ancestry, academic transcripts from your student years or intertribal marriage certificates.

Those unable to make it to the interview can email the Japanese embassy for accommodation at: [email protected] or the Philippine Nikkei-jin Legal Support Center at [email protected].

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The city of Claveria in Cagayan will soon derive its power from wind energy. This brings us closer to our nationally determined commitment (NDC) at the Paris Agreement to derive 35 percent of our energy production from green sources by 2030.

Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba, officials of BlueFloat Energy Co. and Asia Group Philippines Unlimited Inc. (AGPUI) recently met to provide windmill power generation for the province. AGPUI is the consulting partner of Bluefloat in the Philppines. Representing BlueFloat was Jarek Pole, Asia Pacific senior development advisor, and country manager Raymund Pascual. BlueFloat Energy is a Madrid-based firm with competence in the design, development, financing, construction and delivery of offshore wind projects.

BlueFloat Energy was able to secure four wind energy service contracts (WEC) in Central Luzon, South Luzon, Northern Luzon and Southern Mindoro.

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Email: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan