Datem comes of age

DATEM is committed to reinforcing the construction industry’s foundation.

It was a high-rise real estate project in the early 1980s that prompted three friends to set up what would become one of the country’s leading construction companies.

Levy V. Espiritu, Morris S. Agoncillo and Arnold P. de Asis, founders of Datem Inc., were all working for the same company when they were assigned to the same project in 1981.

They harnessed their expertise in architecture and engineering and devised innovations in construction systems and methodology, leading to record-speed project completion while creating substantial savings.

Seeing how well they worked together as a team, Espiritu, Agoncillo and De Asis mustered the courage to set up in 1984 their own company, which they called Datem Inc.

“When we first established Datem, our goal was to make a difference in the construction industry through innovation and technology,” Espiritu said in an interview.

Brimming with confidence and optimism, the group managed to get a good batch of clients in a year, including La Paz Housing and Development Corp. and Ridgeview Realty.

According to Agoncillo, the contract with La Paz Housing involved a low-cost housing project in San Pedro, Laguna, comprising of 45 residential units with a total floor area of 1,200 sqm.

For Ridgeview Reality, Datem was involved in the interior finishing of the Ritz Towers Condominium on Ayala Avenue.

But as with any start-up business, Datem had its fair share of difficulties.

DATEM founders (from left) Morris Agoncillo, Arnold De Asis and Levy V. Espiritu

Early years

“It was very difficult for our group to steer Datem in the early years from 1984 to 1990 due to the political instability at that time, but we persevered by making personal sacrifices for the company,” said Datem president Espiritu.

“We also encountered challenges in adhering to good governance practices despite the advice from some of our competitors and friends in the construction industry that we should not [strictly] do so for us to survive,” he said.

Datem, for example, paid its workers above minimum wage. Its employees also received salaries above industry standards.

“It was the right thing to do,” he said.

To stay in the game, Espiritu said Datem had to implement new methodologies, technologies and innovations, a strategy that worked well for the company over the last 30 years.

Among the innovations that Datem introduced were the pre-fixed structural and architectural reinforced concrete precast wall systems; transfloor half-slab precast system and reinforced concrete precast intermediate beam system for the structural work component of the company’s projects.

For architectural finishing works, Datem introduced interior wall systems such as Ecowall and Datem Wallcrete, which were said to be more cost-efficient.

“It’s a never ending learning process. We will strive to innovate things and adapt to new technologies and systems,” said De Asis, VP for operations of Datem.

“It took Datem approximately 15 years to 20 years before it became one of the major players in the construction industry. The years between our 15th to 20th years of existence were the years Datem started to be recognized as a construction company with very high-quality standards in all its projects and a reputation as one of the fastest in completing projects,” Espiritu added.

Big role

Agoncillo, Datem VP for engineering, also highlighted the critical role that Datem plays in each project it undertakes.

“Being a general contractor, Datem’s role is the most extensive and critical to the success of a particular development or project. Our role encompasses almost the entirety of the wide and varied scope of works and attaining the agreed project milestones is very crucial,” Agoncillo said.

To date, Datem boasts of an impressive roster of completed and ongoing projects.

These include Alphaland Makati Place; The Monarch Park Suites (Anchor Land Holdings Inc.); Arya Residences (Arthaland Corp.); Grand Hyatt Residences (Federal Land Inc.); Twin Oaks Place 1 and 2 (Greenfield Development Corp.); Discovery Primea (JTKC Inc.); Belmont Hotel, Two and Three Central, Venice Corporate Center and Venice Grand Canal Mall, Savoy Hotel Boracay, and One Uptown Residences (Megaworld Corp.).

Other projects include The Menarco Tower Project; Winford Hotel (MJC Investments Corp.); Axis Residences (Robinsons Land Corp.); One Shangri-La Place (Shang Properties Realty Corp.); Net Park (The Net Group); Unilab Corporate Center (United Laboratories, Inc.); Citadines Salcedo Makati (Valero Primeland Realty Development Corp.); and Ascott BGC (Willimson’s Inc.)

“We are very happy yet humbled by the shower of blessings we have been receiving. The niche Datem has carved in the industry is a testament to the hard work, competence and dedication of our team members. And as we move further up, we will continue to be a reliable partner in nation-building,” Agoncillo said.

“We will always strive to perform the best in terms of quality, time and cost,” De Asis added.

“We remain committed to delivering the highest standards of quality in all our projects and services,” Espiritu noted.

Diversification

Looking ahead, the company’s founders want to have an even more diversified Datem, following the creation of new subsidiaries last year.

These units included Datem Homes, which will take charge of the mid-rise, mid-cost and affordable housing projects; Datem Water, which will be a bulk potable water supplier; and Datem Mineral Resources, which will be involved in the mining of gold and copper.

“With these, we will have bigger horizons to explore, bigger opportunities to [tap] new markets without sacrificing the growth of our core business which is building construction,” Agoncillo explained.

All of these new ventures, Agoncillo added, will be undertaken under the guidance of a new vision, which is “to be the fastest-growing construction firm gaining significant market share through innovation and technology development”, and of the core values of integrity, innovation, excellence and malasakit or caring.

Such guiding principles and values are seen to greatly inspire, motivate Datem in achieving its dream to eventually become the best construction firm in the industry.