Q&A: Talking with Angel Santiago Gonzalez, Water Sector Lead, Philippines

At Jacobs, we’re driven by curiosity. We ask tough questions about the world’s biggest problems, dare to challenge the status quo and discover bold, new possibilities to make our world smarter, more connected and more sustainable. Our Jacobs team in the Philippines, the island country of Southeast Asia, takes great pride in thinking differently, innovating bravely and redefining what’s possible to bring meaningful changes and lasting value to people and places.

For this feature, we connected with Jacobs Water Sector Lead, Philippines, Angel Santiago Gonzalez, one of the visionaries in our incredible Philippines team. He talks to us about the challenges we’re looking to solve in the Philippines, the favorite part of his role and his passion for traveling and reading.

Welcome to Jacobs! Tell us about your career background and your role at Jacobs.

I’ve recently joined Jacobs as the Water Sector Lead, Philippines, working closely with some of our major stakeholders in this sector.

My background is in civil engineering. However, I’ve dedicated most of my career to project management, having the opportunity to be involved in major international assignments in various sectors. While the core of my experience lies in railways, metros and water, I’ve also delivered transport, building, infrastructure, airport and bridge projects.

What sparked your interest in a STEAM career?

Although I had been involved in this field as a designer at the early stages of my career, moving to Southeast Asia for work brought me closer to the reality of water challenges and their impact on social development.

Water is one of the critical development vectors for economic growth in communities - a lot of work needs to be done in the region to change the game.

What are you most passionate about and what’s the favorite part of your role?

Making use of Jacobs’ vast experience and working with numerous talented professionals in supporting and advising some of our key stakeholders in their transformational journey towards delivering better services to the public.

What are some of the challenges we’re looking to solve in the Philippines?

The water sector in the Philippines, and in particular, in the densely populated urban areas such as Metro Manila, still face substantial challenges.

On the one hand, we face significant environmental issues. But on the other hand, we have to secure critical water supply for the ever-growing population, providing sustainable and quality services to the end-users. 

Tell us about your proudest career moment.

At one of my previous companies, I was selected as one of six project managers from across the globe for a program shaping the company’s future leadership.

As a part of this program, our team of project managers was responsible for elaborating and leading the implementation of Earn Value Management – a project management methodology – as a tool across the project management community with the intention of increasing the company’s profits.

When you’re not at work, you enjoy…

Traveling and reading. I believe reading makes a perfect companion in the long airport waiting hours. Unfortunately, my reading has been confined quite a lot to my living room lately! 

What excites you most about being part of #OurJacobs?

The global reach, passion for changing things and reshaping the future gives you a unique opportunity to grow your career and contribute to positive changes in society.

In my short time at Jacobs so far, I can feel the support of a great and solid group of professionals with extensive international experience. It’s very exciting to close my days with the feeling that I’ve learned something new from my colleagues and stakeholders.

Join #OurJacobs team

What drives you drives us as we work to build a better world – together. At Jacobs, every day is an opportunity to make the world better, more connected, more sustainable.

We’re always looking for dynamic and engaged people to join our team. Bring your passion, your ingenuity and your vision. Let’s see the impact we can create, together.