The Art Cataquiz Story
By D.J. Minguillan

A quiet, unassuming man warmly greeted me at the door of a busy photography studio in one of the busy streets of Pateros. Mr. Art Cataquiz, the owner, is the epitome of simplicity in success. This soft-spoken gentleman starts his day at 5:00 AM daily. He prays and thanks God for the blessings he received, eats; a light breakfast with his wife and goes to his different job sites.

What started as a young father’s vision of a rewarding tomorrow is now a reality. Unfulfilled desires are now just bygone memories. Art used to work fulltime, 13 hours a day, for a pre-need insurance company. He used to dream of days when he no longer had to worry about his children’s education and have a comfortable retirement with his wife.

Like many of us employed and tasked to earn profits, hard work is just not enough. Art believed in staying focused on his vision. An opportunity presented itself when a prime area lot was offered to him. Acquiring his very own lot was part of his dream. Lack of money did not deter him from acquiring that property. The general perception of lack was not a factor in his quest for financial security.

Art is a fine example of an “inverse paranoid,” a term coined by Jack Canfield in his book, The Success Principles. He has an incredible positive belief that the universe is helping him achieve what he so desires.

Several years later, the property he acquired was fully paid. After retiring from his job at the insurance company. Art decided to set up a photography studio and a few other shops within the vicinity of Pateros. The shops were turning in a comfortable income, but this did not stop him from investing in real estate.

One guiding principle Art has is to break his long term goals into realizable objectives. He believes in the simple plan of setting realistic targets. “The picture of accomplishing an aim is like seeing your footprints on the ladder of success,” says Art.

He adds “The physical manifestation of my visualization is Ciudad Verdadero, a sprawling greenland in the province of Quezon. I was led to that property by divine guidance. I often visualized myself walking in an orchard of fruit-bearing trees that has a small vegetable farm that my family and I could visit during the weekend. It didn’t matter where it was; as long as there is fresh country air, wide open spaces.”

When Art first acquired Ciudad Verdadero, it was a dense waste land; a costly venture.It was an undertaking that promised to drain his financial resources. And yet Art faith propelled him to continue visualizing a realization of his dream. He believe that he will find a way to complete his vision.

In time, his property investment in Pateros paid off. A major fast-food chain decided to lease his land in Pateros and Malaybalay and that led to the beginning of his dream.

Art saw an unfolding of events that strengthened his spiritual beliefs. His children all grown-up and through with school, continued to benefit from the fruit of his labors.

Through it all, Art remains steadfast in having a balance in his life. His one advice to budding entrepreneurs is to balance spirituality and logical thinking.

Experience has taught Art that life is a continuous learning cycle. Obstacles in life are just challenges. You can’t skip them, especially when making major improvements. That is one of life’s realities. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Thus, the transformation of Ciudad Verdadero is going on at a steady pace. Art Cataquiz has become a master in the art of patience and refinement.

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