From homeless to home builder

The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2019 has concluded its search for the country’s most successful and inspiring entrepreneurs. Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines is a program of the SGV Foundation, Inc. with the participation of co-presenters Department of Trade and Industry, the Philippine Business for Social Progress, and the Philippine Stock Exchange. In the next few weeks, BusinessWorld will feature each of the finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2019. BEVERLY DAYANAN is no stranger to hardship. Born to an impoverished family in rural Davao and the second eldest among seven children, Ms. Dayanan faced significant challenges to achieve her dreams. With her household’s economic difficulties, she was determined to work hard and uplift her family from poverty.

This desire drove her to eventually establish her own real estate company.

Ms. Dayanan spent her early life living in the mountains where access to education was limited.

But nothing could stop her from getting her diploma.

She remembers, “I always believed that education was important. So even if I had to cross boulders in the forest while barefoot, I still went to school. If it rained, I just used banana leaves as my umbrella.”

To continue studying in high school, she served the nuns in a private Catholic school in exchange for her tuition and lodging. She would do laundry, iron clothes, clean rooms, serve meals and tend to the garden.

Her perseverance paid off when she graduated in the top 10 of her class and was granted a scholarship to the University of San Carlos in Cebu, where she earned a degree in Political Science.

After college, she found work as a bank teller, then later as a marketing assistant at an insurance company while studying law. She eventually rose through the ranks to become the manager of the insurance company’s branch in Cagayan de Oro. Soon after, she was offered to be the branch manager of a savings bank.

Managing a bank was challenging for Ms. Dayanan. She recalls, “I had to learn how to manage the bank well to deliver expectations.”

Her willingness to learn paid off as she developed successful strategies to acquire and retain clients.

One of her prospective clients at the bank was a local real estate developer whose business needed improvement. She helped him develop his business by providing advice on sales and marketing, financial management, land acquisitions and joint ventures, sparking her own passion for property development.

Armed with her experience in finance and risk management, she left the bank and partnered with that local developer. Together, they established a real estate company that focused on the low-cost mass housing market segment. She completed nine projects for the company, including their maiden project where she developed 500 houses on three hectares of land.

After five years of running the company with her partner, Ms. Dayanan thought of starting her own real estate company. With her experience, knowledge and boundless determination, she was confident that she could make it on her own.

She divested her shares in her previous company and established Contempo Property Holdings, Inc. (CPHI) which aims to develop affordable residential projects. Ms. Dayanan named her company after the word contemporary because she wants CPHI to always be relevant in the market.

As part of efforts to stay relevant, CPHI conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with various middle class groups even before embarking on its first project. She explains, “Before anything is conceptualized, we consult our market. We design according to their needs and expectations. It has to be relevant to them.” The FGD revealed that they wanted a condominium that was not more than 16-storeys high with large welllit hallways and big glass windows for natural lighting.

Although her market’s design preferences were expensive, Ms. Dayanan was determined to accommodate customer requests and balance the interests of her stakeholders. Her decision paid off as the company’s first project was a success. Bamboo Bay, a 12-storey three-tower condominium complex in Mandaue City, includes floor-length glass windows for natural illumination, and open spaces where groups can convene. With the condominium’s facilities and features, CPHI soon reached its projected occupancy rates.

With her maiden project successfully completed, Ms. Dayanan showed no signs of slowing down and expanded to development projects in cities like Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod, and Bohol. CPHI is currently working on other Bamboo Bay Residences in Liloan, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

Because CPHI mainly caters to mid-income families and individuals, Ms. Dayanan noticed a gap in the available housing projects for the low-end market. To address this problem, she established Sunberry Homes Inc. in 2014. The company is a subsidiary of CPHI that specializes in socialized and economic housing. The company has just completed a 2.5-hectare mass housing development in Mactan, Cebu with all units sold out and fully occupied. Although an economical housing project, Ms. Dayanan is not one to cut corners. The subdivision includes 24-hour security and amenities like a basketball court, playground, lagoon and a multipurpose hall with a chapel.

Recognizing the importance of quality control in construction projects, she spoke of her team of femaleled engineers who ensure the quality of the materials used during construction. She said her team checks that standard building procedures and processes are followed. Ms. Dayanan’s commitment to quality management enabled the company to acquire an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certification from the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board.

CPHI’s responsibility does not end once the company completes a project because it is involved in community building and value integration as well. “It’s not just about building and development; it’s about making a community that is nurturing, safe and secure,” Ms. Dayanan said.

To encourage community engagement, CPHI holds special activities during the Sinulog Festival, Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan.

An avid believer in women’s capabilities, Ms. Dayanan’s initiatives for this sector go beyond her company. She participates in programs that provide counseling, legal advice, and livelihood assistance to women and children who have been victims of abuse.

For someone who grew up without a permanent home, Ms. Dayanan has found a sense of purpose and meaning in being able to provide homes for others. Her leadership and determination have earned her awards such as the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Awards Most Promising Entrepreneur of the Year, Stevie Awards Innovator of the Year, as well as the Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards Outstanding Leader in Asia Award.

Having persevered against all odds through her passion for learning, her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is: “Don’t confine yourself to what you know. As long as you are passionate and hardworking, there’s nothing in the world that you cannot learn.”

The official airline of the Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2019 is Philippine Airlines. Media sponsors are BusinessWorld and the ABS-CBN News Channel. Banquet sponsors are Global Ferronickel Holdings, Inc., Jollibee, and Uratex.

The winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines 2019 will be announced on 15 October 2019 in an awards banquet at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The Entrepreneur Of The Year Philippines will represent the country in the World Entrepreneur Of The Year 2020 in Monte Carlo, Monaco in June 2020. The Entrepreneur Of The Year program is produced globally by Ernst & Young.