CEO Insights Magazine

Jason C. Valderrama

Founder, President & CEO

The real estate industry in the Philippines continues to be a vital engine of national growth, shaped by rapid urbanization, evolving market demands, and sustained infrastructure investment. The landscape is transforming significantly with the rising demand for mid-to-highend residential developments as well as commercial spaces driven by BPOs, tech firms, and the hybrid work era. Retail is adapting through experiential formats and mixed-use concepts, while the boom in e-commerce has accelerated the need for last-mile logistics and warehousing. Meanwhile, industrial and logistics real estate is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments, alongside a post-pandemic resurgence in hospitality and tourism. The rise of data centers also signals a shift toward a digitally enabled real estate future.

At the forefront of this evolving industry is JCV & Associates (JCVA), a Philippine-based consultancy firm redefining excellence in construction and project delivery. Under the visionary leadership of Jason C. Valderrama (Founder, President & CEO), a seasoned professional with nearly two decades of experience in the industry, JCVA has set new benchmarks for innovation, quality, and international compliance, with dual ISO certifications and global best practices. An alumnus of several prestigious institutions in both the Philippines and the US, Jason joins us for an exclusive conversation on leadership, strategy, and the future of real estate.

What key learning shaped your business acumen and leadership expertise?

I began my career in the Philippine construction industry in 2006 after graduating from the University of the Philippines. Over the past 18 years, I’ve worked across the entire real estate and construction value chain, gaining experience in diverse sectors and project types. This journey has taught me the value of agility, foresight, and operational discipline in a fastchanging industry. Today, I lead JCVA, a construction consultancy firm that supports project owners with integrated and bespoke solutions. Having worked on both the client and consultancy sides, I bring a dual perspective that helps us deliver measurable value. At JCVA, we emphasize structured decision-making, stakeholder alignment, and quality control, which is an approach that has earned us consistent trust and a growing portfolio of repeat clients.

What are the industry's current challenges, and how do you find solutions to them?

The construction industry, both in the Philippines and globally, continues to face challenges from fragmentation and misalignment across the project lifecycle. These issues often lead to delays, budget overruns, and compromised quality. At JCVA, we tackle these pain points through integrated consultancy services that streamline project management, cost control, sustainability, and EHS. To address the major industry gap, i.e., talent development, we invest heavily in mentoring, innovation, and learning. We’ve also launched a tailored leadership programs and expanded our "Formworks Jr. Program" with top local colleges and universities to nurture futureready professionals. Recognizing the sector’s slow technology adoption, we’ve embedded digital tools across our services to boost efficiency and client value. Looking ahead, our five-year vision is to become one of the top three consultancies in the Philippines and expand regionally into Southeast Asia.

What are the best industry practices you have instilled in your team to become a reliable construction consultancy firm?

At JCVA, everything we do is deeply rooted in our core values: empathy, technical excellence, and a culture of continuous improvement. We are strong advocates of Kaizen, the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement, which guides our commitment to evolving and refining our processes. Although we are a domestic company, we adhere to internationally benchmarked systems and project controls. Our firm is dual ISO-certified, with internal processes aligned to global standards. Internally, we conduct thorough post-mortem sessions after project completion, consistently leveraging technology to enhance our performance. We also benchmark ourselves regularly against industry leaders to ensure we remain competitive and forward-looking. In addition, we've established a strong internal compliance and quality assurance function, which plays a critical role in maintaining the high standards of service delivery that our clients have come to expect from JCVA.

What is your anticipation of new opportunities and developments in the real estate market?

Here in the Philippines, we’re seeing a surge of opportunities across several key sectors. Logistics, healthcare, hospitality, and tourism have all experienced a strong rebound post-pandemic. Additionally, data centers are emerging as a significant growth industry, while sustainability-driven construction, both new builds and retrofits, is becoming increasingly important. What we’re noticing is that clients are becoming more sophisticated. They demand faster, smarter, and more sustainable (“greener”) project solutions. This is exactly where we aim to position ourselves, as a hightrust advisor capable of translating these evolving demands into efficient, cost-effective, and future-proof project outcomes. We also anticipate rising demand for bundled design-and-build services, especially those with strong project and cost management capabilities. Our ability to seamlessly integrate these functions gives us a distinct strategic advantage as we move forward.

As a leader in this industry, what piece of advice do you give to budding real estate leaders?

I believe it’s necessary to lead with purpose, clarity and intentionality and uphold your integrity at all times. In the construction industry, whether you're managing projects or running a business, protecting that reputation is non-negotiable. Once it is compromised, it’s extremely difficult to recover. It’s equally important to focus on scalability and sustainable growth while building an enterprise.

As a Civil Engineer by training, I understand that success in this industry goes far beyond technical expertise. Nurturing relationships, earning client trust, and having the courage to challenge the status quo when necessary. Admiring the thinking of Jim Collins, who emphasizes the importance of getting the right people on board, I always surround myself with individuals who are not only technically capable but also passionate and values-driven, as they’re the foundation of everything we do at JCVA.

Jason C. Valderrama, Founder, President & CEO, JCV & Associates

With nearly two decades of professional experience in the real estate and construction industries, Jason leads JCVA, the fastest-growing construction consultancy firm in the Philippines.

• Hobbies: Basketball, golf, reading

• Favorite Cuisine: Japanese

• Favorite Book: The Godfather by Mario Puzo

• Favorite Travel Destination: Japan

Awards & Recognition:

• Secured 10th rank in National Civil Engineering Licensure Exam in 2006

• Entrepreneur of the Year from the 2024 Asia CEO Awards

• Citation of Merit in Entrepreneurship from the University of the Philippines Alumni Engineers