“Honesty should be a policy to one self
whether personal, to business dealings.
It makes things easy.”
“Much time is set for texting to my children, planning is being done before bedtime that is before midnight.”
She smokes and always try to stop. But she never did. She’s a typical planner who smokes while thinking. But she’s no ordinary planner. Her tasks are complicated.
“As a planner, the first thing that would come up is how to plan the project according to the basic requirements of planning such as land area, location, government rules and regulation, environmental impact to the surroundings, owner`s wishes and budget and how would it look and will it be functional for the next 20 years.”
“Planning is not an easy task for architects because there are many consideration to think about but also very fulfilling seeing it materialized.”
As the one involved in the construction, she focuses more on management side of the project especially when it has many considerations but this field of interest is more exhilarating and where resourcefulness is being tested.
SUCESSFUL CAREER
Lara has been into architecture for 22 years now. Now at 50, she feels that at this episode of her life, she has achieved what she has dreamed of 30 years ago. Achievements for her is seeing our family intact and happy and making a difference in the community we choose to live in. “I like to think that I was able to succeed in the male dominated profession and business and now live comfortably.”
To name a few, she made the designs of Club Panoly, Tourist Center, Queen’s Beach Resort, Waling-Waling, Pearl of Pacific, Pink Patio, Milflores de Boracay, Alice in Wonderland, Mango Ray, Nigi-Nigi, Calypso Diving, Villa Callo, Crystal Sand, Lazatin House and Carpio House.
One of her favorite projects is Boracay Regency Beach Resort where she had been working for the last 10 years. This project, according to her, is like “last 2 minutes” every day from the start to completion. She is currently working on the approval of the Boracay Regency lagoon.
In all her works are her dedicated staff. She would always emphasize the need to have “carrot and stick. “ There must be goal and deadline for time lost is money lost. But she’s sensible to their needs by inculcating to them that they are a part of the organization.
At times, there are frustrations. “In every certain moment of uncontrollable situation and circumstances that I did not anticipate could be frustrating but on the end it would always be a lesson to learn and experience I could regard as one of my best teacher.”
She’s inspired though. “I have to work with or without inspiration because project is a source of our income. Fortunately, it is financially rewarding.”
She finds fulfillment in having these projects realized for the community and people for she believes it is a sense of duty and obligation as a member of the community. “Inspiration also for me comes from people and clients who gave their wisdom and trust to do their projects, people who believed in the advocacy we fought and a family who understand and supported me all the time.”
She also looks up to Architect Leandro Locsin, Bobby Manosa and Nakpil. All through the years, she has earned for herself the title, “Persuasive Leader of Paradise” she being a noted planner in Boracay Island.
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| receiving the award as Outstanding Alumna of Numancia Elementary School |
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| Architect Lara Salaver (4th from left) with fellow awardees |
POWER OF FAMILY
She admitted that she took up architecture by sheer of laziness to read and memorize. She thought that it was only drawing but found out that it was not as she perceived and as saying goes, “Kung nabasa maligo nalang”. She finished Architecture at the University of Sto. Tomas in 1980.
“When I was 7 years old or so, my father was building our house and I was fascinated by the tools being used for construction, I remember that I even cut and hammer my finger because I want to try what the carpenter was doing,” she related.
Her family influenced her when she was young. She earned her secondary education at Aklan College. Her father was a great factor. “When I was in high school my mother would always say that I am his bodyguard. He has been my math tutor in high school, my researcher in college, my adviser and consultant in our business and my shock absorber when everything seems go wrong. Both of my parents are very supportive and Iam very lucky,” she added.
Lucky indeed when she was born a Scorpion in 1959 in Numancia town to spouses Engr. Marcial Arac, a retired DPWH District Engineer and Lucila Leyson Arac, a retired teacher.
WORKAHOLIC
After graduation, she first worked as draftsman at Dennis Yu and Associates. From 1986 to 1997, she was Consultant and Architect of Lara A. Salaver and Associates. In 1997, she established the L.A. Design and Consultancy in Boracay.
As a tourism stakeholder, she was General Manager of A-Rock Resort from 1995 to 2000. The company resort was later incorporated and Lara took over as president. In 2003, she established the Kingfisher Farm in Boracay.
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| presenting the list of signatories and supporters of the campaign opposing House Bill 1109 |
There had been many challenges like “doing a balancing act and compartmentalizing my brain between family , work and advocacy and not giving up.”
Challenge for her is a critical and crucial situation in a given period that need to be understood, hurdled, work with in order to attain an acceptable, workable result. “I always welcome challenges because if it is not for this, I might not be as optimistic person as today.” When things seems so difficult and thorny, she would remind herself that “the smoothest iron pass the hottest fire.”
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| Architect Salaver (left) at the Senate of the Philippines lobbying for the recognition of the rightful owners of Boracay Island |
INSPIRING MOM
In May 1983, she married Dr. Adrian Salaver, now Municipal Health Officer of Malay town. As a spouse, she’s levelheaded, friendly, argumentative but “knows how to cool down when the other is boiling… trying hard to be a spring chicken.”
They have three children – Audrey, a law graduate of Lyceum of the Philippines who’s married to Jeffrey Villalino; Marion, 4th year medical student at Our Lady of Fatima University and Adzo, a senior accountancy student at San Beda College. One of her daughter is married and has a son. “I would say we are like friends or barkada most of the time the wishes of one is the wishes of all. Andre, our apo makes our next chapter more energetic and lively.”
For her, parenting is all about preparing the children for the next stage of their life by showing that life is what ones make it. “We always talk about life, religion, people, wisdom, book, the value of a family, the moral and social obligation to the community, the value of hardwork and goal and the importance of Prayer in our daily life.” She always tell her children that “miracle is just around the corner.”
PRIVATE PERSON
While having tasted public life as a wife of a former town councilor, Lara admits that she’s a private person. “What you see is what you get.”
If not busy, she watches TV, plays computer games, reads newspaper and “makipag- tsimis.” She’s also into reading, gardening, and making family albums. A bookworm, she likes to read Bible Code of Drosnin, Conversation with God of Neale Donald Walsh, Rich Dad Poor Dad, Cash flow Quadrant of Robert Kiyosaki, Jaime Licauco, Robert Ludlum, Forsyth, Crichton, Wilbur Smith. She reads evrythings that are basically spiritual, psychic, fictions and suspense.
In handling bad publicity, she confronts the person to check for the possible reason and its implications. A Catholic, she mediates in the balcony and read the “blue book” for guidance. This is the same practice that she wanted to impart to the young generation.
To the young people, these are her encouraging words: “Dream, pray and take action and when working, don’t give reason, give results.” Honesty should be a policy to one self whether personal, to business dealing or giving an opinion…it makes thing easy…
By her achievements and aspirations, Lara was able to make a difference and touched the lives of the people she loves, work with and the community she choose to live in. What’s important to her after all is peace and harmony in the family and even in the community.
No wonder, she is happy 330 days of the year.
