Executives in Action: The Industry Veteran, and JCVA co-founder - Engr. Reynaldo M. Dela Cruz

Industry veteran and JCVA co-founder and advisor, Engineer Reynaldo Dela Cruz, reminds us that ambition and dreams don’t mean anything without integrity.

Meet the ambitious man yet remarkably genuine mentor who co-founded JCVA and how his over 50 years of experience guides us to achieving success.

A Dream that Built the Man

Rey realized that he was meant to follow his father’s footsteps after being inspired by his projects.

Rey obtained his degree from Mapua Institute of Technology, where he moved forward with the drive and determination to achieve his dream. His early career, as he recalls, was one he considers himself fortunate to be able to attain at a young age. One of his first projects was The Philippine International Convention Center and The Secretariat Building located at the Cultural Center Complex (CCP) under a prominent construction company, David M. Consunji Inc (DMCI). "This greatly increased my knowledge in the construction Industry because DMCI uses the modern method in the construction industry," Rey recalls.

"After this project, I was hired as a Project Manager for the Construction of the NIAA Passenger Terminal Building. I was then the youngest Project Manager at age 27 years old, and most of the Project managers of CDCP were 45 and above."

Achieving new heights

Although many opportunities opened up for Rey after his time with the firm, he pursued new endeavors by expanding his skills and knowledge overseas.

"I worked on many overseas projects [in] Saudi Arabia, USA, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Sudan. I saw that their construction industry is more modernized ," he shares.

The executive may have pursued taking his career elsewhere for the time being but maintains deep connections to the Philippines.

On his return, he lead and executed many projects we see today:

• Icon Plaza Building in BGC, Taguig City

• Eton Centris BPO Building 1 in Quezon City

• Eton Greenbelt Residences in Makati City

• Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City

• EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City

• Rufino Pacific Tower in Ayala Ave., Makati City

• Wack Wack Residences Building in Mandaluyong City

• Richmonde Hotel in Mandaluyong City

• Philippine International Convention Center in Roxas Boulevard, Manila

• Robinsons Place Manila in Ermita, Manila

• SM Southmall in Las Pinas City

• TV5 Media Center in Mandaluyong City

• Laguna International Industrial Park in Laguna

• Montevista Subdivision in Tagaytay City

In 2011, Rey took on a multi-billion peso project for a local conglomerate where he met Engr. Jason C. Valderrama. Their similar vision towards building better businesses brought both men closer together, and in 2014, JCVA was established.

To this day, Engr. Dela Cruz is a significant member of the company and remains as JCVA’s strategic advisor focused on ground-up projects.

Engr. Dela Cruz’s legacy as a leader

His experience in his youth allowed him to put his acquired knowledge into practice and apply it to his leadership. "To encourage collective thinking, I let my engineers do the planning, organizing, and control of the project by group discussions." He continues, "My belief was that they should experience in actual situation their jobs to learn the trick of the trade by themselves."

Engr. Dela Cruz knew he had to lead by example, which navigated his choices in the profession.: "To be a real leader, it meant allowing others to lead as well."

Another belief that guided Engr. Dela Cruz after being almost 50 years in the industry was the need for preparedness. We can harken his attitude towards his career back to his father's determination to put up a business that he knows can not only support his children's education but provide for their future families as well. Indeed, luck favors the prepared.

Rey believes that 90% planning and 10% implementation were behind his success.

At the core of his planning were the 5 Ms: Manpower, Materials, Machines, Methods, and Money. These tools became the key to determining efficiency, profitability, and quality in every project, whether it is a project that is residential, commercial, institutional, or industrial.

The foundation that Eng. Rey was built on

"The way I see it now, the construction industry is now becoming similar to the political industry. The politicians are now controlling the construction industry, especially government construction projects," Rey claims.

"There is [also] corruption in the construction industry because of the greed for money and power. That is why I emphasize that a leader should be honest and trustworthy."

Due to the pandemic, many aspiring professionals and their families grow frustrated with two years of postponing examinations, we urged Engr. Dela Cruz to leave us with some words of wisdom.

"I believe that life has to be a balance of ambition and compassion––do big things but never forget to live with integrity," Engr. Dela Cruz says.

Learn more about the people that helped build JCVA into the industry marvel it is today:

https://www.jcvassociates.ph/about-jcva

Site Safety 101: Essential New Normal Reminders On-site

Last January 2022, the Philippines faced another surge of infections driven by a highly transmissible mutation of COVID-19, the Omicron variant. We were reminded that while we may see dips in the infection rate, a resurgence can happen and it’s crucial to continue safety procedures on-site.

With 4.2 million workers in the Philippine construction industry, what would this mean for employees and employers?

For industry leaders, the idea of a single worker contracting the virus is not only damaging but costly. Worksites must remain controlled, and prevention of the spread of the virus must be dealt with the highest of priority as this might lead to interruptions and a total work stoppage.

While employees in some industries can work from home, ours can’t as we have to be on-site and by following health standards, we can ensure a safe working environment for everyone. After all, the success of our projects depend on people, so we need to take care of them with our utmost capabilities.

Here are industry standards and CDC recommendations to avoid spreading the virus in worksites:

Raise awareness and communication.

Active communication in the workplace is critical. The person in charge must be able to relay daily updates, safety protocols, and development in the workers' native language or dialect. Needless to say, workers needed to be provided with basic facts and the reason behind protective measures. For example, workers must feel compelled to be transparent and to communicate their status to project managers to protect everyone on-site.

Maintain a healthy work environment

Aside from preventing the transmission of the virus, some employees may be at higher risk due to specific comorbidities or age. Provide training to employees on specific policies to minimize face-to-face contact or assign work tasks that may allow them to maintain a safe 6-feet distance from other workers or visitors.

Here are some practices that can be implemented on-site that follow the current DOH guidelines:

1. Encourage frequent handwashing and provide access to soap, clean running water, and materials for drying hands.

If the previously mentioned items are not available, hand sanitizers with 60% alcohol stationed around the worksite or establishment would be helpful.

1. Modify work schedules with alternating workdays or extra shifts to help reduce workers on a job site.

2. Ensure that potentially populated workstations and areas are disinfected, such as break or lunchrooms. Possibly between each group using the space.

Maintain healthy business operations

Like other corporate establishments, it is critical to have a designated safety and health officer available on-site. Workers should be aware that there is a go-to person who will be able to respond to their safety and health needs.

Suppose this is not something your company can have at the moment, provide them access to a list of reliable contacts for assistance. Reach out to local public health officials.

DOH has launched a COVID-19 hotlines: 1555 or 02-894-COVID.

Site safety has always been essential to our industry, so protocols are not new to us. With the challenges of the pandemic, we needed to add a new layer of caution not only to safeguard the health of our people but to ensure business continuity as well.

Sources:

Construction Workers guidelines to Covid-19 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Construction Guidelines for Project Implementation during the period of Public Health Emergency - Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines

Optimism in the Workplace and Why It's a Superpower Leaders Must Possess

Earlier this February, Delta Air Line's CEO, Ed Bastian, sent an email to customers. It was part apology and 'thank you' addressing the disruptions to travel caused by major snowstorms in the Midwest and Northeast. It is said that more than 5,000 flights were canceled across all airlines.

Although, the disruption caused by a few days of bad weather appears minor, when your business is entirely reliant on people moving from one location to another, this makes for a significant problem.

Bastian wrote, "If you have flown with us recently and have experienced disruptions to your travel plans, I want to thank you for your trust, patience, and loyalty." It goes on to say, "Our operation continues to stabilize following a number of unprecedented challenges, including one of the most difficult holiday environments we've ever faced as a result of the omicron variant and a series of winter weather events."

What came after stuck out to me:

"Despite these disruptions, we remain optimistic about what's ahead."

Those words struck a chord because they encapsulate two critical business truths:

1. Disruptions are uncontrollable. To make things bearable when they do come, is to anticipate them as part of your risks and prepare contingencies. We will never know when they will arise or their magnitude, but careful planning will prevent us from getting cut off on our knees.

2. How we respond is impactful. When we are prepared, our response will be immediate and impactful. You can choose to react to disruptions with fear and anxiety or receive them with confidence and optimism.

To this, I've long believed that optimism is a superpower. More than Plan B, Plan C, etc., it enables you to seek a way out of a difficult situation without succumbing to it. Optimism presupposes that something better will come along in the future and motivates us to pursue it.

As a leader, cautious optimism is a critical trait for motivating your team and executing your business's vision. You may have a well-conceptualized plan but what’s more important are the people behind its implementation. This is true even when you are not in a crisis, but it is an especially valuable quality when you are.

It's not at all difficult nor is it complicated. One of the most effective strategies for leading a team through difficult times is to instill hope that things will improve and cultivate an atmosphere for growth. The possibility of that chance is enough to keep everyone focused on the mission – one step at a time.

And that is more paramount than the plan.

Source: https://news.delta.com/message-skymiles-members-ceo-ed-bastian-innovating-travels-future

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/02/03/us/winter-storm-snow-ice#winter-storm-flight-cancellations