Unfold Filipino Culture with these Creative Purveyors

Unyx Sta. Ana of Zapateria, the first local creative hub for footwear design and development, also values not only curiosity but the ability to challenge what is in front of her. She joined the company when her father, Rico Sta. Ana, was involved in an accident. Since then, she has carried on her family’s legacy of being part of the industry since 1887, eventually co-founding the brand with her father in 2017. She saw what the business was like while growing up and how it put food on their table. And because she wants to see this industry thrive, there is no purpose in staying stagnant. They must elevate their practice to protect what they value the most: craftsmanship.

She shared, “We really challenged everyone on the team to be better, because I knew deep down that it was possible. In that process, I learned more about being Filipino, and it really deepened my love for my country because I realized just how much love we put into what we make with our hands, and how we are able to collaborate with artisans. Puso talaga yung binibigay nila eh (They really pour their hearts out).”

Jujumao, a food content creator, also aims to not only preserve our rich culture and heritage but to invite more people around the globe to witness Filipino cuisine. Through vibrant, witty edits and mouth-watering dishes, he hopes to bring to light local dishes that have long been forgotten. When he visited his grandfather’s hometown in Jolo, Sulu, there were already so many dishes that even a lot of Filipinos had never heard of. From an angle of discovery, Jujumao just really wants his viewers to feel the same “high” whenever he himself finds something new.

“I guess it’s coming from an angle of discovery. I want my viewers to feel that same ‘high’ I get whenever I find something new. That same high but focused on our culinary heritage. That’s the reason I made the Filipino food bible. Whether you’re a Filipino living here, abroad, or even someone who isn’t Filipino to begin with, you’ll have a series of well-produced recipes of my takes on all traditional Filipino dishes. Now I don’t claim to be the authentic, official, or the best repository for Filipino food, but what I can say is that I think my videos are a good place to start,” Jujumao said.

Illustrator and designer Jethro Olba shared a key element in his craft: childhood. “Babalik at babalik ka talaga sa childhood mo (You will always end up going back to your childhood).“ As a child, he was exposed to different 2000s references such as cartoons, comics, and graphic shirts. 

For him, these references serve as his style’s backbone. Though it has evolved through time, there remains that “Jethro signature touch” on whatever he does. Whether it’s drawing about basketball or eccentric graphics, he stays true to his “why”: drawing as something he loves doing ever since he was a kid.

Similarly, Gigie Bear of Crimson River Tattoo, has always been interested in tattoos since she was a kid. She remembered being confused about why older people frowned upon them because, to young Gigie, they were just really cool. That curiosity stayed with her until she grew up. Eventually, she started Crimson River Tattoo, which remains thriving until now.

“I actually didn’t start out thinking that I was going to become a tattoo artist. I took up Advertising in college. I’ve always been drawn to art and illustration, and I think tattooing eventually became a natural extension of that. What really pulled me in was the idea that something I created could become a permanent part of someone’s story,” she shared.

Waiian, Filipino rapper and musician, also shared an anecdote where being part of someone’s life, having that effect on someone’s reality, became a turning point that really made him pursue this creative trajectory. The second song he ever made, “Sing Along a Song for You”, was made to express his feelings for his crush. Unexpectedly for him, she cried when she shared that no one else really gave that amount of effort and care for her. For her, it was touching; for Waiian, it was eye-opening. 

To him, music acts as an outlet to process his feelings. Even with the songs that he listens to, it hits differently when a part or a lyric really resembles what is happening in his life. But it wasn’t an easy start. He rapped with friends, and he asked people to get in the lineup. He didn’t receive any talent fee for 2 years, until things really elevated.

Moving Forward with Grit and Ambition

Andre Chanco co-founded Yardstick with Jessica Lee and Kevin Tang in 2013. His journey began as a customer in Singapore who simply appreciated the craft and values behind specialty coffee. He then quit his full time job to work as a coffee roaster in a cafe in Singapore. 

When he began traveling to different countries, Andre discovered that coffee intersects with a lot of things. Coffee allowed him to meet people and even provide beans to Michelin-starred restaurants. He is naturally a builder, and coffee allows him to do just that. When asked about the success of Yardstick, he calmly replies that–despite everything–they are still trying to leave a mark.

“We’re still in the stage of trying new things and failing, and trying to figure out what the Manila model is for specialty coffee. Sure, it’s easier to copy and paste whatever’s happening in Tokyo, Sydney, or Copenhagen, but the consumer behavior is different locally. Our stores are not necessarily copy and paste, and it’d be wrong to assume that our Yardstick model already works. I guess with this mindset of still being in a trial and error phase, we’re always taking a risk on behalf of the industry, and accidentally shaping coffee culture on behalf of the industry. Hopefully, it really inspires our peers to just go for it, rather than go down and just do the common denominator. It really goes back to our name, Yardstick, which is to push the envelope further,” he shares.

Pushing the envelope further isn’t a strange thing also for Joel Pedro, Chief Adventure Officer of Overland Kings. For him and his team, he built a community for overlanders and people who love the outdoors and are always seeking for their next grand adventure. Throughout the years, Overland Kings has become an advocate for land travel, going to destinations found only through map pins and on-ground explorations. Joel focuses on what’s the next area to explore, what’s the next best thing to be in with his family and friends.

As Joel said during the interview, “I personally enjoy the outdoors and the vehicles, so overlanding really became an obvious form of adventure that I’d pursue. Beneath that, I get to spend time with my family and build relationships with others while also experiencing the outdoors. The most important part is not merely the vehicle or gear, but the people involved, and the conversations around the bonfire.”

Though he cannot predict nor completely prepare for the future, he still claims there’s beauty in spontaneity. “The adventures people remember the most are often unexpected. The experiences that were not planned but were successfully navigated and experienced really became lasting stories.”