Who’s Who in Bataan – VICTOR DAVID MENDOZA CONSUNJI

VICTOR DAVID MENDOZA CONSUNJI is a modern, progressive and world-class builder. He owns the construction company called David M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI). Most important of all, he is a native of Samal who served as Secretary of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications from 1971 to 1975.

David Consunji was born in Samal on November 2, 1921. He is the third child of Gaudencio Tongco Consunji of Samal and Consuelo Mendoza of Pandacan, Manila. His siblings include Liria (born in 1917), Jorge (1919); Gaudencio Jr. (1922); Cesar (+); Raul (1926); Luz (1929); Jesus (1930); and Pacita (1932).

After spending his childhood alternately in Samal, Hermosa and Orani, the Consunji family moved to Pandacan where David finished his fourth to seventh elementary grades. He completed his secondary education at the De La Salle University at age 18. In 1940, he enrolled at the University of the Philippine where he took up a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. Due to the advent of World War II in December 1941, it took him seven years before he finally completed his studies and became a registered civil engineer. He graduated from the said university in 1946.

On March 9, 1947, David married Fredesvinda Almeda, a UP Pharmacy graduate who hailed from Camarines Sur. The couple had eight children: Victor, Sid, Lucy, Jorge, Jing, Cristina, Rebecca and Edwina.

Engineer Consunji taught for a while at the former Orani High School. But teaching long-term was not part of his plan. In December 1947, the Consunji family moved to Dimasalang, Manila where David got involved in various “house repairs” in the neighborhood. Later on, he finished two small projects for the National Power Corporation, and a protection wall and a housing project in Caliraya, Laguna. Soon after, he landed a job as a concrete inspector for the Kuenzle and Streiff Building, owned by a Swiss importer/exporter company.

The four-storey Marcelo Rubber Plant in Malabon was the first major project handled by David Consunji as a designer and builder. After its completion, he would pass by Malabon once a month, without fail, just to take a look at “his building.” Two years later, the plant was totally destroyed by a fire and had to be demolished. He thought his designing career began and ended with the Marcelo Rubber Plant. He was wrong.

Instead, David went deep into the construction business after establishing the DMCI in 1954. His second project was the six-storey Philippine Remnants Company building in Juan Luna, Manila. In time, DMCI became the builder of various major projects: schools, plants, warehouses, commercial and financial buildings, cement plants, chapels, theater, cultural and convention centers, apartments and condominiums, hotels, shrines, roads, bridges, dams, flyovers, palaces, mosques, light rail transport and housing projects here and abroad.

Records showed that he was the first Filipino builder to use tower cranes and steel scaffoldings in his projects.

On August 24, 1971, he was appointed by then President Ferdinand Marcos to head the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communication (DPWTC). As Secretary, he organized the Project Planning and Development Office (PPDO) to make sure that all infrastructure development links to the social and economic well-being of the people and the community.

He also promoted mass transport as a solution to the huge transportation mess in Manila. He even proposed a subway system for the Capital City. Unfortunately, it was not implemented due to the enormous cost involved.

He was removed unceremoniously from office in 1975. Marcos was addressing a huge gathering in Luneta when he announced that he will remove all the “undesirable characters” in his government. To David’s surprise, his name was included in the list. It was an embarrassing moment. But he was not humiliated for he was not guilty of anything. Some of his colleagues in government told him that he was a victim of envy and his ouster was the handiwork of the Ilocano bloc.

The funny part after Consunji left office, DMCI did many of the showcase projects of Imelda Marcos. These projects include the Philippine International Convention Center and the Philippine Plaza along Roxas Boulevard in Manila.

At the height of DMCI as a world-class builder, Consunji also ventured in middle-income housing projects like the East Ortigas Mansion, Lakeview Manor, and Rockwell Center Condominium.

Upon retirement, Consunji settled in Davao where he raises cattles, grows mangoes, durian and coffee. He is also involved in the forestry projects (lumber, plywood and rubber). Meanwhile, DMCI remained in business and even bought the MWSS in 2008.

In early 2011, Engineer David Consunji funded the construction of the San Juan-Expressway access road in Samal.

DMCI completed projects include the Laguna College Building, San Pablo; NPC Transmission Lines; Coca Cola Plant, Leyte; SMC plants and warehouses; Cebu Portland Cement, La Union; Republic Cement, Bulacan; Manila Doctors Hospital (1954); UP Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice; Picache Building; Araneta-Tuason Building, Escolta (1961); PNB-Manila (1964); L&S Building (Roxas Blvd.); Monterey Apartments (Makati); Rizal Theater; Don Andres Soriano Bldg; SMC-Soriano Bldg.; DBP Blgs., Makati (1968); Cultural Center of the Philippines (1969); Dambana ng Kagitingan, Pilar, Bataan; PICC, Manila (1974); Philippine Plaza (1976); Manila Hotel Wing (21-storey); King Faisal Motoway, Kuwait; Road, Bridges & Flyovers, Saudi Arabia; Saddam Irrigation Project, Iraq; New Istana (Sultan Palace), Brunei); Sengkurong Mosque, Brunei; UCPB Building, Makati; Filinvest Financial Center, Makati; BPI-Ayala, Makati; PLDT Headquarters, Makati; Ritz Towers, Makati; Palawan Crocodile Farming Institute; Gibong Diversion Dam, Agusan del Sur; BPI Residential Subdivision; Subic Hangar and Apron; Pacific Plaza, Makati; Filipinas Shell Refinery, Batangas; Shangri-La Hotel, Makati; Tower One (Ayala Triangle); 5 Citibank branches; Light Rail Transit 2 (sub-contractor) and many more.