By Marianne T. Escanilla
Special Features Writer, Business Mirror
On May 31, 2012, Reader’s Digest Asia cited some of the local brands in the country, of different categories, that consumers believed to be the best in service and is worthy of their trust. One of these many local brands has been known as a market leader in the real estate industry focusing on the mid-rise and high-rise condominiums. DMCI Homes has been a pioneering property development company in the country since it started its commercial operations in the year 1999.
DMCI Homes introduced innovative design schemes and unique amenities, which set the company apart from its competitors. The company’s core competencies in engineering and construction have produced a fast-expanding portfolio of projects geared toward young urban families who share its core beliefs. To date, DMCI Homes has developed more than 40 projects.
At present, DMCI Homes, again, gained prestige as the company was named by the Reader’s Digest Asia as a trusted brand in property development. Jan Venturanza, Marketing Manager of DMCI Homes tells BusinessMirror how is it to be a trusted brand and be today’s leading real estate company in the Philippines.
1. How significant is it to be included in this year’s winners of the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards in Asia?
The Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands Awards is one of the most well known awards in Asia; its credibility comes from the fact that they represent consumers’ views about a certain brand, devoid of influence from any party other than the consumers. It represents a ‘seal of recommendation’ from these buyers, as well as one of the reasons for future buyers to believe in the claims of the brand.
This recognition is not only an honor to us; it is a seal that reinforces our reputation as represented by the views of consumers. It does not only give us a name we need to live up to when it comes to the way we do things; this strengthens and further reinforces our brand claims, which could translate to benefits that may reflect in our brand equity and future sales.
Readers’ Digest has been consistent in its selection of true market leaders across all industries.
2. What were the significant improvements that the company has established this year to be recognized by the Reader’s Digest Asia as one of the most trusted brands in property development?
We pioneered in building themed mid-rise communities since we started. From the recent year compared to the year before, we have been developing more high-rise residential buildings due to scarcity of lots suitable for mid-rise condos. However, we still stay true to deliver genuine resort inspired communities, which is our edge among our competitors.
Building on our heritage for construction innovation, we came up with a design solution as part of our commitment to create residential developments where young middle-income families can live in comfort and safety. The Lumiventt Advantage, a design scheme that allows the natural flow of light and ventilation throughout a building structure, is a premier feature found in DMCI Homes’ projects like Tivoli Gardens Condominiums and Flair Towers in Mandaluyong, La Verti Residences in Pasay, and Royal Palm Residences in Taguig.
Lumiventt, a specific design based on the basic principles of airflow, winds passing through and around the structure, can create areas of positive and negative pressure, so we developed the concept of incorporating large openings into the building façade to serve as channels through which the air can move. The Sky Patios or three-storey openings on the back and front of the building fulfill this purpose of allowing fresh air to flow in while displacing or sucking out stale or hot air. In condo living parlance, this means that natural air and light can circulate freely around the entire building, from the corridors, common areas, and even all the way to the residential units by means of cross ventilation, courtesy of the unique architectural configuration.
As the economy continues to improve and competition among developers intensifies, the market becomes even more open to investing and living in modern dwelling options like condominiums. However, they have also become more discerning in terms of taste and preferences. They ensure that they make necessary research when scouting for a new home. With DMCI Homes, we make sure that these needs are met.
3. Following this citation, what are the future developments that company is planning on to further strengthen your brand in property development in the country?
DMCI Homes hopes to continue dominating the mid-market segment of young upwardly mobile families, especially with the launch of new projects this year. These new projects—located in key, strategic areas within Metro Manila—are consistent with our unique proposition of providing top-quality condominium homes. Said developments continue to live up to the company’s renowned reputation for pioneering genuine resort-inspired residential condominium communities. We want to duplicate our success in the mid-rise category and translate it to the high-rise category.
Although DMCI Homes has always been known for our unique architecture that aims to utilize natural energy, it was only in 2006 when most of our green architecture efforts were actually highlighted. We are moving toward this direction.
We have recently been a member of the Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC), with one of our architect-managers certified under the council’s BERDE Program. Joining PhilGBC, represents a strong, conscious effort to learn more about smart and sustainable design for the benefit of customers and, ultimately, the general public. He can now guide DMCI Homes in understanding the synergies of BERDE sustainable principles and how these can be applied to the company’s building projects. With a certified BERDE professional on board, we can expect future designs to be more innovative and consciously attuned to sustainable design.
4. Being recognized by the Reader’s Digest and be included in the list of the Philippines’ most trusted brands, how do we maintain this identity?
DMCI Homes constantly strives to provide the best living environment to young, upwardly mobile, Filipino families in Metro Manila who care about comfort and prestige apart from and beyond monetary value. This is because only DMCI Homes can consistently deliver genuine resort-inspired living through a superior mix of location, size, amenities, and price. Project after project, our customers can count on us to deliver as promised.
Unlike our competitors, DMCI Homes has its own internal teams of experts from design, project management and construction. This enables us to develop homes of high standard workmanship and ensure quality and timely delivery of projects. Company owners are they themselves engineers/architects who are also very hands-on in ensuring that all projects have passed stringent quality standards.
DMCI Homes aims to bring more design innovations in the future – designs that will not just change the landscape of the real estate industry, but the way urbanites view their home as well.
5. DMCI Homes has been known as one of the most trusted brands in property development, how was the journey of the company from its beginning and now that it is a trusted brand in the industry?
Founded on December 24, 1954, D.M. CONSUNJI, INC. (DMCI) is known today as the “Builder of Landmarks” and one of the leading construction companies in the Philippines. DMCI has pioneered the applications of advanced engineering and construction techniques and with high technological content. The Company carries a tradition of responsiveness and innovation that sets us apart from the competition. To date, DMCI has constructed the largest number of commercial establishments, high-rise offices and residential condominiums and infrastructure projects in the Philippines, as it has literally created today’s Makati Central Business and Ortigas Center financial districts, and continues to do so.
DMCI Homes, a wholly owned sister company of DMCI, began commercial operations in 1999 amid the Asian financial crisis, which strengthened our resolve and efforts to explore previously untapped markets and offer property solutions that break new ground. Our market agility has resulted in sustained phenomenal growth, such that the present average is more than 250 new homes turned over to buyers every month.
Our first foray into real estate development was in 1999 with Lake View Manors, a project consisting of four-storey walk-up medium-rise buildings, located in Taguig City. This success was followed by the development of Hampstead Gardens in Sta. Mesa, Manila in 2002, which is our company’s first joint venture project with Japanese companies.
In 2002, the official brand DMCI Homes was launched, and since 2003, DMCI Homes has undertaken larger and more elaborate projects with better amenities and facilities for the residents: introduction of resort-inspired developments with generous amenities; mid-rise and high-rise building configurations which factor in natural lighting and cross-ventilation to ensure resort ambience within condo units; and property management service. As our company continues to make headway in the industry, we will persist in pioneering sensible and inspired engineering improvements to our residential communities that will someday become benchmarks in their category.
6. Final statement on being cited by the Reader’s Digest Asia as a trusted brand in property development.
DMCI Homes would like to thank the magazine’s readers and our customers who continue to trust our brand’s ability to deliver on our promise. As every accolade does not end by the time it is earned, we know that this award further challenges us to become better in what we do in order to stay true to our reputation by exceeding our customers’ expectations.
