Building from ground up

Filipino multinational firm Cirdia provides end-to-end services and solutions to the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Cirdia Foundation is the corporate social responsibility vehicle of Cirdia that implements various community-based, knowledge and excellence programs that nurture the growth of the Philippine AEC industry, and contribute to the development and capability-building of the Filipino AEC professional onto the global stage.

Cirdia, in partnership with the Design Process Council of the Philippines, mounted a day-long industry forum dubbed “Building From the Ground Up” at the Ayala Museum. Cirdia, through its Foundation, gathered international experts and local industry players to discuss the latest trends and issues affecting the development of the Philippine AEC industry.

Cirdia chairman Antony Zubiri, along with Cirdia Foundation president Catherine Ileto and Dean John Fernandez of the Council of Deans and Heads of Architectural Schools of the Philippines, led the ribbon cutting ceremony. 

Edge Zarrella, senior analyst from KPMG, an international audit, research and consultancy firm, provided a global outlook for the AEC industry and what the Philippines must do in order to become a major player in the global arena. Autodesk’s director for Asia Pacific Emmanuel Samuel introduced Building Information Modeling (BIM), a leading AEC software that architectural firms can utilize to gain competitive advantage both in the local and global market. Senior director of US-based architecture firm KlingStubbins and author of The Next Architect Scott Simpson highlighted how industry trends, particularly BIM and Integrated Project Delivery, are revolutionizing the entire design delivery process. Facilities and services director of Accenture in Southeast Asia, Australia and Korea Michael Ramos explained how Accenture is harnessing the workplace to maximize employee productivity and increase business results based on the evolving needs of its workforce.

The day’s event culminated with an awarding ceremony that recognized the first batch of winners for Cirdia Foundation’s two flagship talent development and academic excellence programs, namely, the Red Point Awards Thesis Competition and the Lines to Lives Academic Excellence Program. The Red Point Awards Thesis Competition, a nationwide architectural theses contest in the country, rewarded the most outstanding undergraduate architecture theses projects for the school year 2008-09, while the Lines to Lives Academic Excellence Program recognized the top junior architecture student from the Mapua Institute of Technology. The Red Point Award winners were Sudarshan Khadka Jr. of University of the Philippines Diliman, Edgar Nonato Cusi of Far Eastern University and Gloryrose Dy of University of the Philippines Mindanao, who all received specially designed Impy Pilapil pieces of glass sculptures, a cash prize and automatic enrolment into the Cirdia Apprenticeship Program. Stephanie Yeung of the Mapua Institute of Technology was the sole recipient of the Lines to Lives Academic Excellence Award.

Zubiri said, “We will also initiate programs that would unify the industry to make it work as a whole, by introducing knowledge-based, excellence, and community programs through the foundation and the institutional partnerships of Cirdia with various stakeholders.”

A Modern ‘Soap’

The Soap Factory opens up its enticing skin care line of soaps and other bath and body essentials to interested franchisers. The Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo held recently at the SMX Convention Center became the convergence zone for entrepreneurs who were eager to know more about The Soap Factory and join in the fun and fulfilling business.

Greeting guests were owners and sisters Vicky Tactacan-Espiritu, Dina Tactacan-Castro, Theresa Tactacan, Doyee Tactacan-Tumpalan and Julie Tactacan-Defensor. The booth was inviting with its brick walls and colorful displays of soap formed as cakes and donuts. All throughout the day, the booth was busy — guests witnessed how the soaps were decorated and styled.

The Soap Factory was born when the Tactacan sisters, who were brought up in an entrepreneurial environment and with a combined passion for health and wellness, decided to turn their soap-making hobby into an eco-friendly enterprise. They have expanded their product lines to include other skin and hair care products such as lotions, lip balms and shampoos.

(Check The Soap Factory’s flagship store at the third level of The Block at SM North Edsa and at the fourth level of The Atrium at SM Mega Mall. For more details, please contact Luchi Elumba at 667-3868 or log on to www.thesoapfactoryetc.com)