DMWAI marks 60 years of building progress and legacies
From humble beginnings to becoming one of the country’s most respected integrated property developers, D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, Inc. (PSE: DMW) has spent six decades shaping the Philippine real estate landscape defined by innovation, resilience, and an enduring commitment to building better communities.
Parqal, as photographed by AEDAS.
Aseana City today.
The story began in 1960, when Engr. Delfin Wenceslao Sr., a retired military engineer, founded D.M. Wenceslao and Associates. By 1965, the company was formally incorporated, establishing its first office along E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City. These formative years laid the groundwork for what would become a legacy of nation-building, as DMWAI took on crucial infrastructure projects that supported national development.
Mr. Delfin Wenceslao, Jr., Chairman Emeritus – D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, Inc.
Throughout the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the company worked closely with key government institutions including the Department of Public Works and Highways, National Housing Corporation, and the Bureau of Customs. Among its early achievements were the Taliptip Bridge in Bulacan, the Boiler House Building for the National Housing Corporation, and the RC Wharf Extension in Zamboanga City. These projects established DMWAI’s credibility as a construction firm and marked its role in supporting regional progress.
In 1977, the company ventured into hospitality with the construction of Hotel Zibayan, a 75-room hotel in Zamboanga City. Two years later, it completed the 3.15-mile, four-lane Marikina Bridge and executed pile driving works for the Frabel Industrial and Commercial Fishport Complex in Navotas City further expanding its civil works portfolio. By 1986, DMWAI had undertaken major dredging activities for the Navotas Fishport Complex paving the way for even more complex engineering projects.
A pivotal moment came in 1989 when the Public Estates Authority (now Philippine Reclamation Authority) partnered with R-1 Consortium, a group led by DMWAI, to finance and upgrade the R-1 Expressway, officially now known as Aguinaldo Boulevard, into a toll-grade facility. This was followed by a landmark agreement in 1991 between R-1 Consortium and PRA to develop a significant portion of the Manila-Cavite Coastal Road Reclamation Project, later known as the Central Business Park 1—Islands B and C.
Aseana City in 1989
It was during this time that the seeds of a much larger dream began to take shape. Led by Mr. Delfin Wenceslao Jr., the company’s second-generation leader, DMWAI envisioned a modern, world-class bay area community rising from a reclaimed land. This vision would ultimately give birth to Aseana City, a 107.5 hectare masterplanned estate anchored in sustainability, connectivity, and integrated urban living.
By 2010s, DMWAI accelerated its transformation into a full-fledged integrated property developer. A series of premium-grade office projects that include Aseana One (2012), Aseana Two (2014), Aseana Square (2017), and Aseana Three (2018) solidified the company’s presence in the real estate sector. In 2018, DMWAI joined the Philippine Stock Exchange ushering in a new era of transparency, growth, and investor confidence. And in 2020 the company launched its first residential project, Pixel Residences, marking a key milestone in its residential portfolio. Through all these, the company remained focused on its flagship development, Aseana City as a walkable, livable, and future-ready community.
In 2021, DMWAI mourned the passing of its beloved Chairman, Mr. Delfin Wenceslao Jr., whose vision, discipline, and relentless belief in Aseana City shaped the company’s growth. That same year, amid the challenges of the global pandemic, DMWAI stood resilient completing 58 Jupiter in Makati and opening the St. John Paul II Chapel, a deeply personal legacy project born of Mr. Wenceslao Jr.’s promise and devotion.
Redemptorist Aseana LRT Station
The years that followed marked a quiet yet steady momentum for the company. In 2022, it completed 8912 Asean Ave., a 15-storey office tower strategically located along Asean Avenue, directly across Ayala Malls Manila Bay. The momentum continued in 2023 with the launch of Parqal, a mixed-use development that reimagined the retail and work experience through thoughtfully designed office spaces and expansive greenways. In 2024, DMWAI celebrated the completion of the first phase of MidPark Towers, one of Aseana City’s most anticipated residential communities. This year, the company broke ground on Aseana Plaza, its largest office development to date, and is also set to open FLX Aseana, its newest co-working space further diversifying its growing office portfolio.
Aseana Plaza groundbreaking ceremony
From the dreams of one man to a vision carried through generations, DMWAI’s story is one of purpose, resilience, and legacy. What began as a modest engineering firm has evolved into a name synonymous with thoughtful development reclaiming coastlines, redefining communities, and building spaces that endure.
As DMWAI celebrates 60 years of progress, it looks ahead with gratitude for its past and confidence in its future committed to continuing its mission of shaping better communities for generations to come.
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by D.M. Wenceslao and Associates, Inc.
