Every journey after USLT unfolds in its own way.
The #LouisianSuccessStory series continues to bring forward the journeys of Louisians whose experiences, achievements, and contributions reflect the many paths that begin at the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao.
For our next story, we feature Architect Harvin Julius A. Lasquero, a BS Architecture graduate in 2017, whose journey has taken him from becoming a licensed architect to community founder, chapter president, and national-level contributor to the architectural profession. Shaped by purpose, leadership, and service, his story goes beyond the practice of architecture and into the broader ways he has chosen to make a difference.
In his own words, Arch. Lasquero shares the milestones, responsibilities, and lessons that have shaped his journey beyond architecture.
When I graduated from college, I carried a dream of becoming an architect. What I did not fully understand then was how many different ways I would be called to build.
There would be spaces to design, communities to serve, organizations to lead, and opportunities to bring Filipino talent to a wider stage. Looking back, my journey has been shaped not only by the milestones I reached, but also by the responsibilities that came with them. Each achievement has challenged me to ask a more important question: How can I use what I have accomplished to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others?
A Foundation Built on Purpose
In 2017, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture at the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao. That same year, I was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines—a recognition that gave deeper meaning to the start of my professional journey.
Receiving that distinction was a moment of pride, but it also carried a responsibility. It encouraged me to see education as something that should extend beyond personal advancement. The knowledge, opportunities, and support I had received could become tools for serving others.
As I stepped beyond the university, I carried that understanding with me. Recognition could open doors, but what mattered was the work I would do once those doors opened.
In 2019, I passed the Architecture Board Licensure Examination, fulfilling one of the most important goals I had worked throughout college. Becoming a licensed architect marked the transition from studying the profession to taking responsibility for its practice.
The title was meaningful because of what it represented: the opportunity to contribute to spaces that people would use, experience, and depend on. It also reminded me that learning would not end with the board examination. Professional life would require me to keep listening, adapting, and growing.
Bringing Service Beyond the Profession
That same year, I founded Lung-Aw Claveria, creating another avenue through which I could put my commitment to service into action.
Architecture was becoming my profession, but I did not want my contribution to be limited to professional work. Through Lung-Aw Claveria, I found a way to bring people together around community needs and shared concern for others.
This became an important part of my understanding of success. Progress did not always have to come in the form of a title or an award. Sometimes, it meant responding to a need, encouraging someone to participate, or helping turn a willingness to serve into collective action.
Founding the organization strengthened a principle that continues to guide me: we do not have to wait until we have everything figured out before we begin helping. We can start with what we know, what we have, and the people willing to work alongside us.
Growing Through Design
In 2022, I joined M Moser Associates as a designer, opening another chapter in my professional development.
The role gave me an opportunity to deepen my design practice and contribute within a collaborative environment. It challenged me to look beyond an individual idea and consider how different perspectives, requirements, and disciplines come together to shape a project.
As my experience grew, so did my appreciation for the less visible qualities that sustain good work: careful listening, clear communication, accountability, and respect for the contributions of others.
My professional growth and community involvement began to reinforce each other. Design taught me to understand needs before proposing solutions. Service reminded me why those needs mattered. Both required attention to people.
Accepting the Responsibility to Lead
In 2024, I became the youngest Chapter President of the United Architects of the Philippines–Fort Bonifacio Chapter.
It was a significant milestone, but being the youngest was only the beginning of the story. What mattered more was how I would honor the trust placed in me.
The presidency called for a different kind of work. Beyond developing my own capabilities, I had to help create opportunities for others to contribute. It meant listening to different voices, working with fellow officers and members, and keeping the chapter’s shared purpose at the center of our efforts.
I came to appreciate that leadership is not measured by how often a leader is seen, but by how meaningfully people are brought into the work. An organization becomes stronger when its members feel that they belong—and that their contributions matter.
My journey also reached an international milestone in 2024, when I won the Grand Prize at the Global Lincage Festival for Global Leaders at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea.
Receiving that recognition was a proud moment in my journey as a Filipino architect and leader. It broadened the setting in which I could learn, exchange ideas, and contribute. Beyond the award, the experience reinforced the importance of remaining open to perspectives beyond my own community and professional environment.
Continuing the Work
In 2025, I was entrusted with a second term as President of the UAP Fort Bonifacio Chapter.
That renewed trust meant an opportunity to continue the work with greater experience and a deeper understanding of the chapter. It also reminded me that leadership is not a single successful moment. It is a continuing commitment to show up, follow through, and help others move forward.
In 2026, my journey expanded into national service through my roles as Vice Chair for World Architecture Day and as part of Creatives for the Philippine Architecture Festival–National Architecture Month of UAP National.
These responsibilities have opened another avenue for bringing together my interests in architecture, leadership, and creative communication. They offer an opportunity to contribute to how our profession shares its ideas, engages people, and communicates its relevance.
What Success Has Come to Mean
From student recognition to professional licensure, from community service to chapter leadership and national involvement, each milestone has added something to my understanding of success.
I value the honors I have received. But I also recognize the people behind them: those who taught me, trusted me, worked beside me, and gave me opportunities to grow. Each of these chapters has been shaped by their support.
Today, I see success less as a destination and more as a responsibility to make good use of the journey. It means continuing to develop my craft while remaining available to serve. It means accepting new opportunities without forgetting the communities and relationships that gave those opportunities meaning.
My story is still being written. There are more lessons to learn, more responsibilities to grow into, and more ways to contribute.
I graduated with a dream of becoming an architect. Since then, I have been learning that the most meaningful life I can build is one that helps others build theirs.
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