By Nimrod Nl Quiñones (The Freeman) Updated October 07, 2009 12:00 AM
CEBU, Philippines - One sector that has continued to grow despite the global financial crisis is the construction industry and evidence of that are the many projects that you can see sprouting in various areas around Metro Cebu.
With millions, sometimes a few billions of pesos spent to build these projects, investors tap a group of project managers to ensure that what they want can be done within the budget and following the quality standards that they have set.
One firm that specializes in such business is Asian Technicon Managers and Consultants, a Manila-based company that has 20 years experience in handling various construction projects around the country.
While we stereotype those involved in the business a male, at the helm of ATMC Inc. is Archt. Lily Pio Roda, the company president.
In an exclusive interview with The Freeman, she said that she and many of those who joined her when the company started used to work for the Ayala Group. It was after they completed the project in Brunei, including the construction of the palace, that she asked permission to leave the company and form her own.
Fast forward to 20 years hence, the company has been involved in the construction of various projects in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon and lately also in Cebu.
“Our first project in Cebu was Persimmon tower 1, which we started in June 2008,” she said. The project is nearing its full completion and a second tower is scheduled to be built.
Currently, their company is also managing the Insular Life Tower project inside the Cebu Business Park.
“Our role is to represent the owner in the projects and oversee the completion.”
To be more specific, as project managers ATMCI assigns a resident manager to each of its projects. The company makes sure that the projects are within budget and that the contractors would strictly follow the requirements set by the designers and architects.
It may seem like spending other people’s money, by Mrs. Pio Roda said, that “it’s not that easy.”
“We are answerable to the owners, so if there is a problem we have to solve it.”
She added, “Our major concerns are time, cost and quality.”
All the key personnel of ATMCI in Cebu right now come from their head office in Manila where they have about 200 employees.
“We hire locals also to help out our staff from Manila and in the process they also get trained about how things are done.”
Mrs. Pio Roda regularly visits the various construction sites. In Metro Manila alone, their company is managing 21 projects.
ATMCI is truly an answer to the call of the construction industry for an independent that will act as orchestrator among project participants.
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