Building structures that last a lifetime

MANILA, Philippines - The man behind D.M. Wenceslao & Associates did not imagine he would end up in the construction business even if his father founded the 50-year old property giant.

In an interview with The STAR, Delfin J. Wenceslao  Jr., chairman and president of D.M. Wenceslao said he initially found himself interested in the military.

 “I was deputy corps commander of the ROTC in Ateneo,” said Wenceslao  who is now 72 years old but leads a very active lifestyle. Most of his classmates pursued this line, joined the Philippine Military Academy and are now generals in the military.

 “But my father convinced me to take a more peaceful life so my career path diverged to construction,” he said.

His father, the late Delfin M. Wenceslao, was a military engineer who has participated in the defense of Bataan. He would later put up his own construction company.

 “After leaving the military, he decided to put up his own construction company,” Wenceslao  said.

Thus, D.M. Wenceslao was born in 1965 and has since survived the ravages of time, political  upheavals, economic crises and seemingly insurmountable challenges, to become one of the most reliable construction companies in the Philippines today.

Wenceslao said determination, passion, perseverance are just among the qualities bequeathed by his father on the company.

Wenceslao finished economics in college which he  said has been useful in construction.

 “Construction is multi disciplinary. You must have knowledge of the economy. When my father died, I took over,” he said.

Today, Wenceslao  remains the visionary behind the 50-year old company and continues to lead the property giant to ensure that his father’s dream and vision remain the guiding light of D.M. Wenceslao.

One of the company’s major projects is Aseana City.

 “We create land from water. Aseana City is a major project for us. It’s one of the few projects government did not spend a single centavo, resulted in generation of taxes and further employment opportunities,” said Wenceslao.

Located next to Entertainment City in Paranaque, Aseana City is a  204-hectare  complex   dubbed as the next major central business district in Metro Manila.  The complex  has attracted services firms, from banks and finance houses to manpower recruitment, to relocate in the emerging-business district bounded by Roxas Boulevard on one side and Manila Bay on the other.

Armed with 50 years of experience and skills, D.M. Wenceslao is gearing up for the next five decades as it commits to continue the vision started by its founding father —  of building structures that last a lifetime.

Wenceslao said he has convinced his four sons to work in the company to continue the legacy of his father.

They are also planning to debut at the local stock market to ensure continuity of the business. “This is to ensure succession. Succession is important,” he said.