JSLA_Book

‘He’s a good ‘When he
designer, no wants to
doubt about explain
that, but one something,
thing that he will go out
struck us was of his way
his honesty. to sketch
every single
He’s very time, with his
principled three colored
and ethical, ballpens,
and he’ll tell so it’s easy
you what will for us to
and won’t understand’

work’

5 0   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Steve Sy

President, Focus Global Inc.

Lolita Sy

Executive Vice President, Focus Global Inc.

  CLIENTS WHO VISIT Focus or seven for the showroom and Fo- Twenty-four Seven McKinley
Global Inc.’s headquarters in cus Global Inc.’s offices (the rest of features a façade of patterned
Bonifacio Global City (BGC) don’t the floors are now being leased out). glass and a box-type accent on the
just ogle the displays of upscale He also convinced them to acquire corner, giving it a distinct look.
appliances Sub-Zero, Siematic, and the lot directly behind theirs, where
Miele, and luxury furniture B&B they put up another 24-story struc- a visit to Siao Ling and Associates’
Italia, Maxalto, and Ethan Allen. ture, Twenty-five Seven McKinley. office on N. Domingo Street, San
They’re likely to admire the market- Juan, the couple saw facilities that
ing company’s building, too—the But Siao Ling revealed a col- encouraged learning and growth
imposing glass-and-steel edifice, laborative side to him as well, and among his young staff of architects.
Twenty-four Seven McKinley. he applied many of the couple’s “He’s a very caring person,” says Lol-
inputs. When Steve wanted the ita. “And he’s always like a professor.
Since 1991, Focus Global Inc. more expensive full glass for the In our meetings, when he wants
President Steve Sy and his wife, building’s exterior, not only did the to explain something or propose a
Focus Global Inc. Executive Vice architect accede, but he chose glass suggestion, he will go out of his way
President Lolita Sy, have run the with a pattern of subtle black, dark to sketch every single time, with his
business from their two-story gray, light gray, and silver. The archi- three colored ballpens, so it’s easy
warehouse-turned-showroom along tect even supervised the placement for us as laypeople to understand
Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong of the glass, making sure installers what he’s talking about. He always
City. But with their company’s followed the pattern, which can be wants to educate us, and I believe he
expanding portfolio of global seen from the building’s façade. does the same with his team.”
brands, a bigger showroom in a
more cosmopolitan setting was in The façade itself was the result Today, Twenty-four Seven
order. A property in dynamic BGC of a long discussion between the McKinley doesn’t just complement
was purchased, and the Sys turned architect and the Sys, who felt the beauty and reliability of the high-
to Jose Siao Ling, an architect highly Twenty-four Seven McKinley end home brands in its showroom; it
recommended by friends who had needed a unique touch for it to captures the sophisticated eye of the
worked with him on their own stand out among neighboring high- architect behind it. “When people
buildings in the vicinity. rises. “He patiently showed us more see the building, they immediately
and more ideas, pictures, and pegs think that the products inside are
“There was chemistry,” says until he came up with something world-class,” says Steve with pride.
Steve of their first meeting with that we liked—simple yet elegant,”
Siao Ling. “He’s very up front, easy recalls Lolita. “But I asked him if he
to talk to. He’s a good designer, no could make the building look like
doubt about that, but one thing that anything but an office building.
struck us was his honesty. He’s very We’re a showroom, so how do you
principled and ethical, and he’ll tell tell that to the world?” The answer:
you what will and won’t work. From a box-type accent added to the
that first meeting, we didn’t have to corner of the building. “I’m glad you
look any further.” challenged me,” he told them later.

It was Siao Ling who made Working together made the Sys
them see the practicality of building realize that Siao Ling was more than
24 floors instead of the original six just an expert in space efficiency. In

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   5 1

‘I believe
Architect
Siao Ling
changed
the whole
landscape
of BGC’

5 2   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Caroline Tanchay

Chairman, President, and CEO
Oriental Peninsula Resources Group Inc.

  FOR A RELATIVELY new office build- devices.
ing, Oré Central on the corner of 9th Says Tanchay, who was reacquainted
Avenue and 31st Street in Bonifacio Global
City (BGC) has already been raking in with Siao Ling through The Net Group’s
major accolades left and right. In 2016, the Charlie Rufino, says, “I have spoken to a lot
Philippine Property Awards recognized the of architects, but I love Architect Siao Ling
stunning high-rise for Best Office Devel- because of his adaptability, flexibility, and
opment and Best Landscape Architectural creativity in fixing problems. He makes it
Design, and it was Highly Commended in look easy. I feel a great architect shouldn’t
Best Office Architectural Design. A year ear- just be creative in terms of design, but
lier, the same award-giving body named the should be creative enough to give you the
LEED Gold-certified glass-and-steel build- best use of space and the best solution to
ing Best Green Development. “The design is each and every problem you encounter.”
future-proof, allowing it to remain com-
petitive for many years to come,” declares Oré Central’s environmentally sound
Caroline Tanchay, whose mining company initiatives aren’t just about responsible
Oriental Peninsula Resources Group Inc. building practices; they’re a reflection of
(ORE) is headquartered in Oré Central. Tanchay’s passion for natural healthcare.
On the 10th floor is Lifecore, an institute of
While Tanchay collaborated on Oré biointegrative medicine that uses cutting-
Central’s aesthetics with San Francisco- edge German technology to accurately
based design and architectural firm Gensler, diagnose and treat a host of diseases. The
she assigned the task of implementing the latest branch of New York café Dean &
iconic design to Jose Siao Ling. “I told him, DeLuca is located on the ground floor, and
‘I want to have the best-designed building in Tanchay, a licensee of the popular restau-
the Philippines,’” says Tanchay, ORE chair- rant, enjoys the freedom of creating a menu
man, president, and CEO, “‘and I think you of dishes and drinks using fresh and organic
are the best architect I can work with.’” ingredients. Regular clients of Elev8 Lagree
Fitness classes in Oré Central can look
Indeed, it was no small feat to flesh out forward to another routine that Tanchay
a 32-story Class A office building with the is excited to introduce—cellular exercise,
reportedly largest lobby in all of BGC, over a groundbreaking workout that astronauts
3,000 sqm of fruit-and-vegetable gardens and super-athletes swear by.
on the eighth, 16th, and 24th floors, and
posh office suites on the higher floors. Oré “I believe Architect Siao Ling changed
Central saves as much as 30 percent power the whole landscape of BGC,” says Tanchay,
and is fitted with a water recycling system, who plans to work with him again in
rainwater collection system, and windows forthcoming real estate projects. “Whenever
that maximize natural light while repel- I look at the Global City from the build-
ling heat, among other green technology ing that he made, I always remember him,
because this is his landscape.”

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   5 3

‘Joe is a
pragmatic
architect.
He’s not
purely about
aesthetics;
it’s form
but with
substance.
And his

space
planning is
his strongest

point’

5 4   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Eusebio H. Tanco

Chairman, STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc.

  WITH THRIVING VENTURES in ports first STI designed by Siao Ling. Accented
operation, gaming, stocks, and non-life with the school colors of yellow and blue,
insurance, Eusebio H. Tanco got into educa- the building is a distinct landmark in BGC.
tion “as a way of giving back after all I’ve
achieved.” “Joe is a very good architect, but the one
thing about him is, he’s a pragmatic archi-
“Education is very challenging,” says tect,” says Tanco. “He’s not purely about
Tanco, chairman of STI Education Systems aesthetics; it’s form, but with substance. And
Holdings, Inc., “but it’s also very rewarding.” his space planning is his strongest point.”

Indeed, thousands of students from over Beyond the standard classrooms, fully
70 STI branches nationwide have not only equipped laboratories, and state-of-the-
benefited from affordable, quality educa- art recreational facilities, STI campuses
tion in Information and Communication are accessible to students, comply with
Technology (ICT), Business and Manage- strict safety standards, and inspire learn-
ment, Hospitality Management, Tourism ing. “Safety of the building, integrity of the
Management, Engineering, and Arts and structure, and maximizing the use of space
Sciences; they’ve joined the work force after are our primary concerns,” says Tanco. “Joe
graduating through the school’s job place- has met all those criteria.”
ment assistance program, called Enrollment
to Employment (E2E). Tanco’s future projects with Siao Ling
are along the lines of logistics, passenger
Interestingly, education has proven to terminals, and industrial warehouses.
be good business, too. Owing to the high Building more schools, of course, remains
demand for ICT courses, STI’s stock price a top priority. “In the past few years, we’ve
growth has surged to all-new heights (136 been very intense, putting great focus in
percent as of 2017), putting the school’s going to populated areas that are short on
consolidated revenue at P2.9 billion and educational facilities,” says Tanco. STI has
counting. also acquired a number of existing schools,
like Bacolod’s West Negros University in
This explains STI’s ongoing, aggressive 2013 and iAcademy along Ayala Avenue in
expansion. According to Tanco, eight more Makati City in 2016.
STIs are being built, half of them in Manila,
and all by Jose Siao Ling. Tanco met the “Government talks about physical
architect when he was putting up his Phil- infrastructure, like roads and bridges, but I
plans Corporate Center in Bonifacio Global think we need to build human infrastruc-
City (BGC). Too big for a school, the build- ture, too,” declares Tanco. “That’s the basis
ing became an office for business process of the foundation for our economy. OFWs
outsourcing (BPO) companies, and another and employees in the BPO industry are all
property in BGC, this one close to residen- part of human infrastructure. They’re the
tial development Serendra and shopping core, they’re the real drivers of growth in
mall Market! Market!, became the site of the our country.”

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   5 5

‘When I work
with him, I
always have

peace of mind
that things
will get done
fast and
completely’

5 6   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Delfin C. Wenceslao

Chief Executive Officer,
DM Wenceslao and Associates, Incorporated

  IT’S EASY TO SEE why Bay City is being sure we hedged our risks, and worked with an
touted as the metro’s next central business expert on our projects.”
district (CBD). Situated west of Roxas Boule-
vard and the Manila-Cavite Expressway, and That Siao Ling and his wife, architect Ana
divided between the cities of Manila, Pasay, Mangalino Ling, are parents to a brood of ar-
and Parañaque, the sprawling expanse of chitects also resonated with Wenceslao, whose
reclamation area is home to massive leisure, parents and three older siblings hold various
entertainment, and gaming facilities SM Mall positions in the company founded by his late
of Asia, Mall of Asia Arena, Solaire Resort & grandfather, Engineer Delfin M. Wenceslao,
Casino, City of Dreams Manila, and Okada in 1965. “Coming from a family business, we
Manila, as well as renowned landmarks like value long-term relationships. They are key to
the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the us,” says the CEO. “Architect Joe is someone we
Philippine International Convention Center. know we will be dealing with in the future.”
Proximity to the airport and connectivity to
CBDs Makati and Bonifacio Global City, plus In his initial meeting with Wenceslao, Siao
the steady rise of office, residential, and retail Ling revealed not just his skill for designing
projects from reputable developers, make Bay space-efficient offices, but a surprising bold-
City an attractive work environment, particu- ness, too. “You know, it’s funny, but we invited
larly for business process outsourcing (BPO) him to bid and show us his concept—and he
companies and Philippine Offshore Gaming told us he didn’t bid or do design competitions,”
Operators (POGOs). says the CEO with a chuckle. Eventually, Siao
Ling did present his vision of an office building
In the thick of all this activity is Aseana in a highly detailed and comprehensive study
City, the 100-plus-hectare mixed-use com- that blew the Wenceslaos away.
munity by 53-year-old construction and real
estate developer DM Wenceslao & Associates, With every office building, Siao Ling
Incorporated (DMWAI). As the develop- continues to impress. “When I work with him,
ment gradually takes shape with residential I always have peace of mind that things will
condominiums, vibrant dining and retail get done fast and completely,” says Wenceslao.
strips, popular hotel chains, and spacious “I’m very involved and hands-on, and so is he.”
events venues, it has already anticipated the Indeed, Wenceslao’s trust and confidence in
demand for international-standard business the architect is such that the two no longer
centers with the first of three office buildings have to draw up a contract for every new
designed specifically for BPOs: the 12-story project they undertake. “He already knows
Aseana One and Aseana Two, and the 15-story the parameters of what I want to work with.
Aseana Three. After showing him the lot, I’ll have a complete
study, with perspectives and everything, within
Delfin C. Wenceslao, chief executive of- a week’s time,” says Wenceslao. The CEO and
ficer of DMWAI, recalls how Jose Siao Ling architect recently broke ground for a fourth
came to be the firm’s architect of choice in office building, and there are plans to put up
its first foray into office buildings. “After five more buildings in the next five years.
talking to so many consultants, Architect
Siao Ling’s name kept coming up as the man A central business district within a central
behind all these BPO offices in Bonifacio business district—why not? “Besides BPOs, we
Global City, Ortigas, and Makati,” he says. “So want the whole gamut of industries—tradi-
even if there were other architects out there, tional offices, gaming, shipping, logistics—to
we wanted to work with the best, to make locate within the area,” declares Wenceslao.
“We’re gearing Aseana City up to be the CBD
of the Manila Bay area.”

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   5 7

PORTRAIT BY PAUL SAN JUAN ‘That
excitement
in his craft

is very
contagious

and
inspiring
for us, his
clients’

‘As a kababayan,
I am proud of him’

5 8   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Arthur C. Yap

Third-Term Representative of the Third District of Bohol

Domingo H. Yap

President, Federation of Filipino-Chinese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

  YEARS BEFORE he became Secretary of he marvels. “That excitement in his craft is very
the Department of Agriculture (under his contagious and inspiring for us, his clients.”
former Economics professor, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo), a third-term representative Such awe and respect for the architect are
of the Third District of Bohol, and co-author of shared by the congressman’s father, Domingo
House Bill 5670, which provides free irrigation H. Yap. Like Siao Ling, the elder Yap is a
to farmers, Arthur C. Yap worked as a sales- native of Zamboanga del Sur, making them
man for his family’s business, Universal Paint. almost like brothers, linked for life. “They’re
Then a recent graduate in the 1990s, he took of different generations, but there’s a secret
his products and presented them to would-be language among men and women who share
clients, among them, Jose Siao Ling, already an the common experience of getting themselves
established and sought-after architect with a out of Zamboanga and onto a bigger stage,”
portfolio of high-profile projects. Yap remem- explains Yap’s son.
bers that meeting like it was yesterday.
Of his kababayan, the soft-spoken elder Yap
“Intimidating,” he says of their first encoun- admires Siao Ling’s generosity with his time
ter. “Joe recalls that day, too, and I think he was and willingness to be of assistance to others.
touched to see a young guy doing his best. He “Being in the paint business, we needed help,
saw my sincerity and intense desire to present a which Joe was able to give,” he says. “What I
good product. So he gave me a chance.” While can tell you is that he’s very humble and ap-
Jose Siao Ling and Associates continues to proachable. He never says no.”
specify Universal Paint, among other brands, for
its various projects today, the architect would True enough, when the elder Yap, president
also go on to work with the Yaps on some of of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber
their buildings in the Pasig area. of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), ap-
proached his fellow Zamboangueño with news
“He’s one of those architects recognized that the federation’s members had raised funds
for his integrity,” says Yap. “In the construction to build a Friendship Dome in Marawi as part
industry, it can be wild in terms of how people of its efforts to rehabilitate the war-torn city,
practice their profession, but he’s always been the architect didn’t have to wait for him to fin-
on the safe side of things, works by the book. ish his sentence to say he was in and offering his
The safety, comfort, and needs of the people services for free. Siao Ling’s interpretation of
who will use the building are always on his the multi-purpose convention center and sports
mind. He’s not just one for iconic designs; he’s facility is inspired by a Muslim cap and features
one for functionality and design. And he has a Filipino touches like a banig detail on its exte-
mind for costs; he will never ask you to spend rior. Yap’s son will be presenting the design of
unless you have a way to recover that expense. the proposed Friendship Dome to President
That’s why I love working with him, he’s a very Rodrigo Duterte in the coming weeks.
honest person.”
“He’s always been a great inspiration to
For Yap, watching Siao Ling pitch his design me, and I’m sure, to many in the construction
to clients is a real treat. “You ask him to stand industry. He’s not just all work; he’s actually a
up and present a project, and you can see the lot of heart, too,” says the congressman.
boyish excitement in him that he never lost,”
“As a kababayan,” says the elder Yap, “I am
proud of him.”

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   5 9

Milestones

Fly Ace Corporate Center (2009) PRI Medical Center (2009)

Church of St.
John Paul, Aseana,
Parañaque (2011)

Ecotower Fort Bonifacio
Global City Taguig (2009)

SM City Cabanatuan (2012) STI Center Novaliches (2010)

Wills Tower, BGC (2011) Unioil Tower (2012) Ore Central (2012) Panorama Tower (2011)

6 0   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Aseana One (2010)

SM City General Santos (2010)
Ecoprime (2010)

Modala Leisure Village Mall & Hotel (2013)

Alloro Residenza (2013) Bank of Makati Building (2013)

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   6 1

Ecopark (2014) SM North BPO Hotel (2014)

Aseana 3 BPO Building (2014) NU Sports Academy (2015)

Guang Ming College (2015) STI
Academic
M1 Tower (2015) Center
Lipa (2016)
U.P. Juanita Marquez-Lim vda
de Gokongwei Sr. Center (2016)

The Upper Class (2016) Gold Mansion (2017) The Suites at Gorordo (2016)

GSC Corporate Tower (2017) Royal View Garden-Parañaque City (2018) Platinum Tower (2017)

6 2   D O I N G I T H I S W A Y

Tanauan City Zentrum (2014)

Twenty-Five Seven McKinley (2014)

MAAX II (2015) Milestone @ Fifth Avenue (2015) Robinsons Tera (2012) & Giga (2015)
Aseana 3 & 4 BPO Building (2016)

Toyota Sta. Rosa (2014)
Verdant (2017)

Primex Tower (2017) Net Cube (2006)

D O I N G I T H I S W A Y   6 3



35 Years

of Unwavering Commitment

towards Architectural

Design Excellence