My column’s title is very familiar to some of us who have excelled professionally or who have somewhat been successful in being an entrepreneur. If you feel that you haven’t realized your dream and are still in Dubai, then chances are you could still make it. Dubai, in particular, and UAE, in general, are the Arab version of the ‘American Dream’.
This is what happened to Felino Palafox, Jr. more than four decades ago when as a 27-year-old and recently married architect he was invited to work in Dubai, becoming the first Southeast Asian and Filipino architect and urban planner to work in the emirate which was then under the rule of the late Shiekh Rashid bin Saeed Al-Maktoum.
Last Sunday, June 18, Palafox was conferred the Global Filipino Architect: The First Lifetime Achievement Award at the UAP Dubai Awards 2023 held at the Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk.
“If not for Dubai I would not be where I am today,” he said and shared that Shiekh Rashid instructed the team of architects and urban planners to plan and design a first world city in 15 years. Palafox quoted the late Dubai ruler as saying ‘Build me a garden out of the desert. Build me a city that will lead’. Jebel Ali Port was constructed in the late 1970s and opened in 1979. Dubai Drydocks opened in in 1983 becoming the largest ship repair facility in the Middle East. And the rest is history – a first world Dubai where we are currently enjoying.
From the website of Palafox Associates: “Architect Jun Palafox has lectured in more than 20 countries across the globe, including institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. He has traveled to and observed more than 1,000 cities in 79 countries. He is a recipient of several local and international awards. In 2019, he was recognized as the Most Outstanding Professional in the Field of Environmental Planning by the Professional Regulation Commission. In November 2017, he was awarded by the JCI Senate as one of the three Top Outstanding Filipinos for the field of Architecture. Forbes Asia Magazine has cited him as one of the 48 Heroes of Philanthropy in Asia.”
Well done Christian Vasquez and the outgoing officers of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)-Dubai Chapter for an exciting UAP Dubai Awards 2023. The last one was held in 2019. The UAP Dubai Awards is a global architecture award recognizing design excellence. It was created to advance the appreciation and exposure of quality architectural design worldwide.
“Throughout my tenure, my aim has been to champion excellence, foster collaboration, and promote the values that define our profession. Together, we have strived to create spaces that not only inspire but also positively impact the lives of individuals and communities. It has been a privilege to witness the transformative power of architecture firsthand,” expressed Vasquez in his final official speech as the outgoing president. “As I pass on the baton to the next Chapter President, I am filled with optimism and excitement for what the future holds. Our organization is poised for even greater success, and I have no doubt that under their leadership, we will continue to thrive, innovate, and make a lasting impact.”
All the best to the new team under the leadership of Jan Michael Peramide. Our very good friend, a little brother, Eric Fajut is an Executive Director, alongside with Jon Llarena and Jeff Lopez. Aside from Christian, I would like to say good work, too, to the previous teams, specifically the one under Ronald Salcedo who had invited me and my wife, Rachel Salinel, in two occasions in 2012 – one as judge for the ‘3 Best Dressed Mafia’ and the other as special guest which was attended by then Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Grace Princesa. By the way, my wife was one of the resource speakers when the chapter sponsored a ‘Health Day’ at the Philippine Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai in February 2022.
As what I mentioned when I presented the nominees for the Hospitality Project of the Year Award, architects are close to my heart because my eldest sister, Ivy, is also an architect who graduated from UST in the early 1980s. She practiced her profession for more than 25 years in the Philippines, Guam and Las Vegas. Go fly high Global Filipino Architects!