In 1998, during the height of the Asian financial crisis, Danilo Tamayo and his wife found themselves jobless and struggling to find work. With no one hiring and only P50,000 in savings, they took a huge risk—starting their own labor contracting business from scratch.
“We tried to apply for jobs. I was a vice president in my previous company, but no one would hire me—not even as a project foreman,” Tamayo recalls.
With no financing and no track record, securing projects was nearly impossible. But a bold move changed everything. Tamayo borrowed P200,000 from his wife’s family, bought an Elf truck, and hand-painted a “Contact Us” sign on it. He then sent the truck to circle Ayala construction sites—hoping to attract attention.
It worked.
“An EVP from Ayala called and asked, ‘Sayo ba ‘to, DDT? Talaga nangongontrata ka na?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ even though I had no projects yet.”
That conversation led to DDT Konstract’s first project—an P80,000 ceiling repair job. Tamayo delivered ahead of schedule, impressing Ayala executives and opening doors to more work.
But financing remained a challenge. Banks refused to lend money due to the company’s lack of credit history, forcing Tamayo to turn to five-six loans for three years just to keep projects running.
“For three years, we didn’t take salaries. We only paid for gas, electricity, and food,” Tamayo says.
Through sheer persistence and high-quality work, DDT Konstract steadily grew. From small-scale projects like clubhouses and basketball courts, the company became a trusted Ayala contractor and expanded into larger projects.
Today, DDT Konstract is one of the major players in the construction industry, proving that even with limited capital, no connections, and no financial backing, smart moves and relentless execution can build a thriving business.
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
