TARLAC STATE UNIVERSITY
College of Architecture and Fine Arts
Department of Architecture
San Isidro, Tarlac
Professional Practice 3
Interview Activity
Submitted by:
Clifford Agcaoili
Tesalonica Cariaga
Lei Yunice Norberte
Kristel Joy Tagarro
Ivy Torralba
Submitted to:
Ar. Joanna Patricia Grande, uap
Instructor
Introduction
This paper presents findings from an interview-based exploration of business structures within
the construction industry. As part of the Professional Practice 3 course at Tarlac State University, this
activity aimed to provide students with practical insights into the operations, management, and legal
considerations of Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Corporations. Through direct engagement
with industry professionals, this study sought to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and the
real-world application of business principles. This paper details the interview process, key findings, and
comparative analysis of the observed business entities, focusing on their registration, management,
employee handling, and budgeting/scheduling practices.
To really understand the ins and outs of different business structures, our group conducted a
series of interviews for our Professional Practice 3 class. We focused on Sole Proprietorships,
Partnerships, and Corporations, and we made sure each business we spoke with was officially
registered. We chose companies that are relevant to the construction industry and that were kind enough
to give us their time.
Our interviews weren't strictly scripted. We had a list of questions to guide us —things like how
they registered their business, how they manage their employees, and how they handle budgeting and
scheduling practices, including tools and methods used—but we also let the conversations flow
naturally to explore any interesting details that came up. We conducted these interviews on April 26-
27 via in person and virtually. With the interviewees' permission, we took detailed notes and recordings
to make sure we captured everything accurately.
Summary
Sole Proprietorship: Cali Buildrs
1. Can you tell us through how your business officially got started? And was the registration
process more challenging than expected?
- The company's application for a PCAB license is recent, but the business has been
operational since 2022.
2. What daily operations keep the business running smoothly, and who is responsible for
overseeing them?
- Ar. Maryll Tumamao primarily oversees projects, with site architects managing on-site
supervision. She directs manpower, material deliveries, and site activities, with
instructions flowing from her to site architects, and then to foremen and workers, to
maintain organized site operations.
3. How do you ensure accountability and communication within your team?
- Team communication relies on daily use of Messenger, calls, and phone for quick
information exchange. Maintaining direct contact with suppliers and workers is
emphasized to prevent miscommunication, which is particularly critical in construction
due to the potential for costly errors. Clifford adds that for overseas clients, daily
updates on activities, accomplishments, deliveries, and schedule adherence are
essential.
4. What tools or methods do you use to help with budgeting and scheduling?
- Budgeting is centralized under Ma'am Maryll, who sources and compares supplier
prices using Excel. Scheduling is kept straightforward, with weekly planning directly
between the principal architect and the construction team, avoiding complex
scheduling tools as long as weekly goals and the overall schedule are met.
5. How do you handle hiring and onboarding new employees—do you have a particular
approach or philosophy?
- Hiring prioritizes an applicant's personality, educational background, work experience,
training, and achievements. Physical fitness is also considered for construction roles.
For inexperienced applicants, willingness to learn is a key factor. Licenses are a
separate hiring consideration.
6. What is the biggest challenge you face in your business?
- The biggest business challenge is low bids. In construction, unforeseen costs are a
major challenge because they require the company to cover expenses not included in
the budget. Unexpected issues are common in construction, requiring preparedness.
7. What advice would you give to students who want to start a business someday?
- A solid foundation of practical experience is considered essential for starting a
construction business. The recommendation is to gain broad experience in smaller
companies, from design to construction, as this provides more valuable learning than
specializing in a narrow role in a larger firm. Aspiring architects entering construction
should be prepared for the difficulties of gaining experience before obtaining their
license, as this groundwork facilitates running their own company later.
Partnership: Maes+ro Architects
1. Can you tell us through how your business officially got started? And was the registration
process more challenging than expected?
- The firm began in 2017. It was initially set up as a sole proprietorship, registered under
the name of AR. Ezekiel Tabiang. While officially a sole proprietorship for registration
purposes, the interviewee states that they operate as partners within the firm. The sole
proprietorship structure was chosen to simplify government paperwork and
registration, as it's easier to register compared to other business structures (DTI,
business permit, BIR).
2. What daily operations keep the business running smoothly, and who is responsible for
overseeing them?
- The firm's services include both design and build. Daily operations often take place at
construction sites. Oversight of construction projects is shared by two individuals, who
conduct site inspections and checks.
3. How do you ensure accountability and communication within your team?
- The team uses the Slack application for communication. They have a system of
required reporting, where team members are expected to provide updates at least three
times a day. These reports are submitted through Slack and include information like
attendance, tasks for the day, problems encountered, inquiries, approvals, and material
requests. Afternoon reports focus on the day's accomplishments.
4. What tools or methods do you use to help with budgeting and scheduling?
- For accountability, each project is assigned a dedicated project architect. This architect
is primarily responsible for the project, in addition to the foreman and other team
members. For example, a residential project will have one project architect overseeing
it. To streamline the process, conceptual schemes and drawings are typically handled
by two senior architects, while the project architect takes over for construction
drawings. This ensures that the project architect has a comprehensive understanding of
the project from start to finish, enabling them to answer questions and address inquiries
effectively (e.g., kitchen dimensions, materials used).
5. How do you handle hiring and onboarding new employees—do you have a particular approach
or philosophy?
- Initially, the firm preferred hiring apprentices, likely due to cost considerations
(allowances, meals). However, they realized that registered architects tend to be more
accountable and responsible in their work. Even licensed architects receive ongoing
training within the firm. They experienced challenges with apprentices who lost interest
and found that the typical one-month OJT period for architecture students was
insufficient for proper training. Consequently, they now prefer hiring either apprentices
for longer-term commitment or fully licensed architects. Currently, they have a team of
five architects.
6. What is the biggest challenge you face in your business?
- The biggest challenge they face is dealing with clients. While they strive to build strong
client relationships, difficulties arise when clients are influenced by numerous external
opinions, particularly from non-architect friends who may offer unsolicited advice.
This can lead to clients second-guessing design decisions or wanting to incorporate
ideas that worked for their friends' houses, which can complicate the design process.
7. What advice would you give to students who want to start a business someday?
- The interviewee emphasizes the importance of graduating and passing the architecture
board exam. They also suggest that architects consider specializing in specific project
types (e.g., residential, commercial) during their practice. While their firm currently
handles a variety of project types (institutional, religious, commercial, hotel,
residential), specialization can be a valuable approach.
Corporation: Global-Estate Resorts Inc.
1. Can you tell us through how your business officially got started? And was the registration
process more challenging than expected?
- The interviewee is Engineer Cayetano Olaer Ofrecio Jr. a project manager at Global
Estate Resorts, Inc., a subsidiary of Megaworld Inc. He emphasizes that he is an
employee, not the owner of the business, which is a corporation. The corporation was
founded by Mr. Andrew Tan. It was established by acquiring an older company called
Field Estate Properties, Inc., which was then renamed Global Estate Resorts, Inc. The
interviewee mentions the challenges involved in purchasing a company in the
Philippines as part of the company's origin story.
2. What daily operations keep the business running smoothly, and who is responsible for
overseeing them?
- The interviewee has been an employee for seven years and has observed the company's
structure. Global Estate Resorts (GERI) has a mixed hierarchical and functional
organizational structure. It is headed by a president and then divided into functional
areas with different executive levels. The interviewee works in the operations
management division, which handles the operations of GERI's projects in various parts
of the Philippines.
3. How do you ensure accountability and communication within your team?
- Since this is a big company, we have been hired based to diferrent job descriptions, so
one of the needs of a project manager is definitely to maintain the communication
within the team to deliver the project based on time quality and on budget and that’s I
think with that is also part of the accountability, when you shared an accountability
with the corporation it is also an act of responsibility of your what they call of your job
role
4. What tools or methods do you use to help with budgeting and scheduling?
- The basic tools used include MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint for reporting). PowerPoint
is still considered an efficient tool for reporting in a corporate setting. To monitor and
manage project sites, they also use project management tools like Primavera and MS
Project, which are typical in a corporate setup.
5. How do you handle hiring and onboarding new employees—do you have a particular approach
or philosophy?
- Basically on a corporate setup we have a different division handling the employment
pool so we have the department so they are the one in charge in hiring manpower
services that is needed on site so basically we just endorse applicant or even ask them
for applicants architects, engineers and other trade that needs. Other trade that needed
on site to function they are the one who is handling it.
6. What is the biggest challenge you face in your business?
- The interviewee reiterates that they are not the business owner. However, they
acknowledge that every business faces challenges in various areas. Within their
division, a typical problem is ensuring that projects are completed within the allocated
budget and the mandated timeframe.
7. What advice would you give to students who want to start a business someday?
- The interviewee draws a connection to their previous experience as the owner of a sole
proprietorship company in Tarlac. Key takeaways from that experience include: The
importance of building relationships. The need to establish strong communication with
suppliers to secure quality materials at good prices. The value of trusting people to
perform well, creating a mutually beneficial relationship where employees are given
work and contribute to the company's profit.
Comparative Analysis
Startup & Registration:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) have a relatively simple registration process, though
licenses (like PCAB) may be separate.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) sometimes use sole proprietorship registration for simplicity, even if
operating internally as a partnership.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) involve a more complex establishment, often through
acquiring existing companies.
Operations & Oversight:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) feature centralized oversight with a tiered supervision
structure.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) share oversight responsibilities.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) have a hierarchical and functional structure with
specialized divisions.
Accountability & Communication:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) favor direct, rapid communication (Messenger, calls).
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) use structured reporting systems (Slack).
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) emphasize communication within defined job roles.
Budgeting & Scheduling:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) use simple tools like Excel and direct weekly planning.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) assign project architects for accountability.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) employ more complex tools like Primavera and MS
Project.
Hiring & Onboarding:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) prioritize individual traits like personality and willingness
to learn.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) focus on hiring qualified architects and provide ongoing training,
having learned from challenges with apprenticeships.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) have specialized HR departments for hiring.
Business Challenges:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) face challenges with low bids and unforeseen costs.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) grapple with client influence and maintaining design integrity.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) focus on meeting budget and schedule constraints.
Advice for Students:
• Sole proprietorships (Cali Builders) recommend gaining practical experience in smaller firms.
• Partnerships (Maes+ro) stress qualifications and potential specialization.
• Corporations (Global-Estate Resorts) highlight building relationships and trust.
Conclusion
This interview effectively explored the practical differences in business operations across Sole
Proprietorships, Partnerships, and Corporations within the construction industry. Through interviews
with industry professionals, it moved beyond theoretical concepts to provide valuable insights into real-
world practices. The findings highlight key distinctions in how these structures approach registration,
management, communication, budgeting, hiring, and the challenges they face. These insights offer
valuable context for students entering the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding the
operational nuances of different business structures.
Notable Projects of Cali Buildrs
Proposed Two Storey Office Building
Location: Guimba, Nueva Ecija
Proposed Two Storey Apartment Building
Location: Fairlane Subdivision, San Vicente, Tarlac City
Notable Projects of Maes+ro Architects
Parroquia del Espiritu Santo
Place of Worship
Location: San Luis, Tarlac
AL Apartment
Notable Projects of Global-Estate Resorts Inc.
Twin Lakes Village
Location: Laurel, Batangas
Boracay New Coast
Location: Boracay, Malay, Aklan