ATTY. NELSON W. ARQUIZA: Former Career Director at Malacanang Palace

Photo by Marlene Galeos

Pasay-Makati Realtors Board's  2011 President Atty. Nelson W. Arquiza has many  attributes not quite obvious to many of  his  fellow real estate brokers.

Aside from his degree from Ateneo Law School, Nelson holds a Master's  Degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines. He is actually a Lieutenant Colonel in the Philippine Army, which could explain why his photo in his business cards has him garbed  in a military attire.

His switch to real estate was not only motivated by monetary rewards but by a nationalistic purpose. Not surprising for someone who devoted  the first  years of his  career in government service. Under the terms of three Philippine Presidents, Nelson was a Career Director at the Malacanang  where he served in different capacities-- as Chief of Staff  of  the Executive Secretary, Head of Special Concerns Group and as Head Of  Legal Team.

After his stint at the palace, he was tapped to champion the  corporate re-engineering of Maybank Philippines resulting in the turnaround of its operations in less than 2 years.
What is your educational background? What were you considering as a career when you were in high school or in college?

1. MASTER IN NATIONAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (MNSA)
National Defense College of the Philippines
Vice Mayor (RC 33)

2. JURIS DOCTOR (JD)
Ateneo de manila University


3. BACHELOR OF ARTS (SOCIOLOGY)
Ateneo de Davao University

What was/were your first job/s prior to your shift to real estate?
1. LEGAL PROFESSION
a. Head, Legal Team (Office of the Executive Secretary, Malacanang)
b Deputy Head, Legal Office, Presidential Management Staff

2. MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
a. Head, Special Concerns Group (‘think-tank”), Office of the Executive Secretary
b. Head National Secretariat, Presidential Advisers for Regional Operations
c. Head, Mindanao Concerns Group


3. LIEUTENANT COLONEL (PHILIPPINE ARMY)
Assists in the over-all management of strategic national security issues affecting the country


3. STRATEGIC CONSULTANT
Head, Project Management Office
Responsible for Change Management and Corporate Reorganization
Office of the President
Maybank Philippines, Incorporated


4. USED CAR DEALER

What were your reasons for shifting to real estate?
1. Housing remains to a basic human necessity. Population shoots up but land does not increase. Ergo, among the highest business potentials available today.


2. Our countrymen badly need decent and affordable housing. I want to be part of the solution.

How did you prepare for your shift?
I first took and passed the realty brokerage exams and studied the niche in the realty business for almost 8 years.


Then I built a stable source of income for me to survive for the 12 months while I dipped my hands into the realty business so as not to be pressured in closing a deal and surviving on the other end.

What would be one major piece of advice you would want to share with someone who is considering to shift to real estate?
Plan before doing.


Create niche in the market


Prepare for a 12-18 months financial lifeline (insurance) so as not be worried while starting up the realty business


GET LOTS AND LOTS OF “QUALITY NETWORK/ FRIENDS/ ORAGANIZATION” to expand sourcing and help you market your listings...JOIN PMRB INTERACTIVE!!!


And TONS OF HARD WORK!!!



ATTY. NELSON W. ARQUIZA
Landline : (632) 211 3700