REAL estate firm DMCI Homes said it is allocating about P600,000 this year as endowment to the University of the Philippines-College of Engineering’s special fund for Faculty Retention and Development Program.
Donating since 2017, the endowment reinforces the Consunji-led realty firm’s “commitment to innovation and sustainability by supporting research efforts that aim to shape the future of the construction industry,” the company said in a statement issued Saturday.
The endowment is awarded through collaboration with the University of the Philippines Engineering Research and Development Foundation Inc. (UPERDFI) and is part of Kaakbay sa Edukasyon, one of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Retaining top faculty
“The fund provides professorial chair awards and teaching-research grants aimed at augmenting compensation and helping retain top faculty members at the UP College of Engineering,” the company said.
“For Academic Year 2024–2025, the program is supporting three professorial chair awards and four teaching and research grants,” it added.
DMCI Homes said professorial chairs are awarded to “members of the faculty who have distinguished themselves in the field they represent.”
Among its recipients is Asst. Prof. Christian Orozco, PhD, a faculty member of the UP Institute of Civil Engineering whose research centers on sustainable concrete and life cycle-based construction.
Orozco has been teaching since 2010 in UP, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering. He also holds a Phd in the Field of Engineering for the Environment from Japan’s Hokkaido University.
Next-gen concrete solutions
DMCI Homes said Orozo has long advocated the integration of environmental concerns in civil engineering, dedicating his academic career to developing next-generation concrete solutions—ranging from traditional and cement-replacement concrete to advanced materials like geopolymer concrete, bioconcrete, and pervious concrete.
“If concrete were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, next to the United States and China. So, it’s clear we need to rethink how we build,” Orozco said. “More sustainable practices could dramatically reduce emissions and benefit everyone—from contractors and developers to policy makers and future generations.”
Through the DMCI Homes Professorial Chairs, Orozco has been able to pursue his research and conduct studies that may not have been possible otherwise, DMCI Homes added.
