Illustrado Magazine – Filipino Abroad

Tag: filipino community

  • Filipino Creatives Unite at Tribe UAE’s Kickoff Event

    Filipino Creatives Unite at Tribe UAE’s Kickoff Event

    Dubai, UAE – May 19, 2024 – Tribe, a collective and sub-committee under the Philippine Business Council in Dubai and Northern Emirates, proudly announces the success of its inaugural event held at the Jameel Arts Centre. This initiative aims to unite Filipino creatives and communications practitioners in the UAE, fostering a community dedicated to creativity and collaboration.

    The highly anticipated event attracted over 150 attendees from the UAE’s creative and communications industry. Esteemed Philippine dignitaries, including HE Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, Ambassador of the Philippines to the UAE, Consul General Marford Angeles, and Vice Consul Jim Jimeno, graced the occasion with their presence.

    Bethoven Filomeno, Committee Head of Tribe, opened the event, followed by Krishna Dela Paz, Brand Communications Head of Tribe, who outlined Tribe’s membership.

    Bethoven Filomeno said, “What we’re doing here with Tribe isn’t new. It’s a ripple effect of the groundwork laid by those who came before us in the creative industry. We at Tribe are deeply committed to continuing the work of those who’ve championed Filipino representation and elevated the Filipino brand in the UAE’s diverse and vibrant creative scene. The future looks incredibly promising. And now we have the privilege of bringing together these pioneers and trailblazers alongside the next generation of Filipino creatives and comms practitioners in the UAE. It’s truly inspiring to witness young Filipino creatives and comms practitioners thriving and championing the Filipino brand.”

    The event featured a panel discussion with five of the most accomplished Filipino creatives and communications professionals in the UAE:

    • Lalaine Chu-Benitez: Co-founder and Managing Director of Illustrado
    • Joseph Bihag: Managing Director and Executive Creative Director of Almost Impossible Agency
    • Michelle Co: Creative Director at FP7 McCann Dubai
    • One Carlo Diaz: Writer for Lifestyle at The National
    • Farah Ali: English Programme Manager at Emirates Literature Foundation

    Moderated by Tricia Jimenea, Managing Director of ComCo Middle East, the panel delved into the triumphs, challenges, and inspirations driving their creative pursuits in the UAE’s vibrant and diverse creative landscape. Attendees gained invaluable insights into being a Filipino creative professional in the region and how to elevate creative excellence within the Filipino community and beyond.

    The kickoff also showcased the works of three celebrated UAE-based Filipino artists:

    • Donell Gumiran: Collection of photographs titled “Faces of the Last Tribes,” featuring portraits of the world’s last remaining tribes
    • Ella Orencillo: Collection of paintings titled “In Between Fantasy and Actuality”
    • Dexter Modesto: Collection of art pieces made of recycled shuttlecocks titled “Upcycled Elegance: Sustainability in Art”

    The event also witnessed live calligraphy sessions by local Filipino creative entrepreneurs. Daryl Malabat from LIKHA created personalised bookmarks for guests as mementos, and Gino Banola of ANYO brought back the appreciation for the Philippine ancient baybayin script.

    Attendees had opportunities to network and connect with fellow Filipino creatives and communications practitioners during the interactive networking activity, “Find Your Tribe.”

    Krishna Dela Paz highlighted the importance of community, stating, “We all know that having trusted mentors, peers, and partners is a game-changer in our creative journeys. That’s why we want to build a platform and community where we can find our tribe and foster meaningful connections. We’ve seen the remarkable creations of our featured artists, as well as the inspiring accomplishments of our featured speakers. But there’s still so much more talent within our community waiting to be discovered. At Tribe, we’re committed to celebrating Filipino creativity through conversation, exhibits, features, networking, and professional development opportunities.”

    The closing ceremony was officiated by Marian Celeste Carella, Tribe Adviser and Chairman Emeritus of the Philippine Business Council Dubai & Northern Emirates, and the rest of the Tribe core team: Allan Bautista, Bethoven Filomeno, Krishna Dela Paz, Dano Santos, and Mherck Dela Cruz.

    For more information about Tribe, please visit Tribe’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

    To be part of Tribe, visit the membership page on the Philippine Business Council’s website.

    About Tribe

    Tribe is an initiative and sub-committee under the Philippine Business Council in Dubai and Northern Emirates, dedicated to bringing together Filipino creatives and communications practitioners in the UAE for community, creativity, and collaboration.

    About the Philippine Business Council Dubai & Northern Emirates

    The Philippine Business Council of Dubai & Northern Emirates (PBC Dubai), a non-profit organization established in 2001 under the patronage of the Embassy of the Philippines and the Philippine Consulate General of Dubai and the Northern Emirates, is the only Filipino organization recognized by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the esteemed role of facilitating business opportunities for the Filipino community and their commercial partners in the country.

    For more information/questions, please contact:

    Krishna Dela Paz

    Tribe – Brand Communications

    Bethoven Filomeno

    Tribe Committee Head

  • Nick Nadal – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Nick Nadal – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Gamechanger – Nick Nadal

    Photo by: Bethoven Filomeno

    Corporate Governance & Sustainable Finance Expert

    When talking about accomplishments, Nick Nadal will not run out of things to share.  But he is a man who would rather not discuss himself. A conversation with him will just be about the causes he’s involved with and how this can benefit many.

    A corporate expert who works for the government of Dubai, specifically the Dubai Sustainable Finance Working Group, he is one of the key persons behind making the emirate a global player in sustainable finance. He does this while working on advancing good governance practices in regional organizations, addressing boards and decision-makers, framing decisions related to environmental responsibility, fairness to labor and community, company stewardship, and relationship to society, among others.  He also has set-up a regional think tank on corporate governance driving research, company engagements, and program development.

    With all that he has learned through the years serving various causes, Nick encourages Filipinos to elevate themselves by embracing the greater community that they belong in. “We need to realize that human dignity, environmental responsibility, and the general need to be kind transcend our communities, and that despite differences in geographies, in how each one of us were raised, in our education, and in our general outlook in life, all of us have much more in common than there are differences. So, let’s all work to elevate the place we live, work, and play, by so doing, we also elevate our communities and ourselves.”

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  • Rollan Rodriguez – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Rollan Rodriguez – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Gamechanger – Rollan Rodriguez

    Urban Art Instigator

    Rollan Rodriguez - Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf
    Photo by: Ace Reyes

    Before urban art became popular and Dubai started showcasing graffiti with pride in its buildings, before the city’s hip art spaces came to be, one Filipino spearheaded the lowbrow art movement in the country.

    Rollan Rodriguez, the founder of the art collective BrownMonkeys, can be credited for popularizing accessible street art, first through the group’s exhibitions in alternative spaces, eventually growing into commercial features on billboards, commissioned murals for creative agencies, and showcases for the Middle East Film and Comic-Con, StreetCon, the Sharjah Biennial, among others.  Rollan says of their impact, “In some little way, somehow it made a contribution to the art world in the UAE, empowering and influencing the area of art and design.”

    Respected as well in the commercial design world, though his work within his own agency, Ape Creatives, Rollan has been involved in numerous projects and has also bagged two international honors from the Indigo Design Awards held in Tokyo, Japan.

    Rollan professes that he is most proud of being able to usher in a new wave of thinking in the UAE, “A brand new attitude on how we intermingle with varied cultures, and also, making our community realize that it is possible to make it – that it’s okay to be different, to be weird brown and proud.” (more…)

  • Hyku Desesto – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Hyku Desesto – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Tastemaker – Hyku Desesto 

    Photographer, Entrepreneur & Brand Ambassador

    Photo by: Ace Reyes

    In her career as an entrepreneur and photographer, Hyku Desesto has represented and now championed the new wave of empowered Filipino media personalities across the UAE.

    Having founded Soul Trap Studio, she also holds personal brand ambassadorships and features with Tag Heuer for Marie Claire Arabia, Stylist Arabia, Huawei, Puma, Timberland, Nestle and Nisnass, and worked with global brands and celebrities such as Netflix, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue Arabia, Tory Burch, Van Cleef & Arpels, Ciara, Christian Louboutin, Elsa Hosk, Ashley Graham, Lewis Hamilton, Mario Dedivanovic, Maria Tash and many more. She was also listed on Harper’s Bazaar’s top 5 coolest female entrepreneurs in Dubai published last April 2019, and was featured on Tommy Hilfiger and Puma Women’s Instagram platforms, apart from other wins during the year.

    A self-made woman, Hyku says, “You are the driver of your career and the creator of your own destiny.” She now uses her platforms to help fellow Filipinos secure jobs there while continuing to collaborate with big names within the region and beyond. “I want to be remembered as someone who did not just influence but inspired and helped others.” She says.

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  • Mariecar Blanco Jara – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Mariecar Blanco Jara – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Mariecar Blanco Jara

    Journalist

    Photo by: Donell Gumiran

    UAE-based veteran journalist Mariecar Blanco Jara is known in the local media circle for being a fearless and straightforward journalist, who doesn’t shy away from asking tough questions.  A senior reporter at Gulf Today, Mariecar, who has been a working journalist since 1983, covers everything and anything about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-countries in the UAE, health, and women’s issues.  Lately, Mariecar has also been reporting on developments surrounding the Dubai World Expo 2020.

    Renowned in her own right, the daughter of celebrated former Managing Editor of The Evening News in the Philippines, Manolo Francisco Briones Jara, has carved a name for herself in the country even earning a journalism award in recent years, upholding her belief that journalists have a responsibility to dig deeper into the news, going beyond presenting merely necessary information.  She is also a very spiritual person who takes pride in sharing the good news within her community.  “I hope my writings have inspired and opened breakthroughs.” she says.” But I also want to be remembered as a woman who has learned to trust God totally fully.”

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  • PBC Abu Dhabi – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    PBC Abu Dhabi – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Philippine Business Council Abu Dhabi

    Non-Profit Group

    Photo by: Ace Reyes

    The Philippine Business Council of Abu Dhabi, a non-profit organization registered with the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, envisions a Filipino community of business leaders, constantly growing through supporting trade, commerce, and investment between the Philippines and the UAE.

    Having done many projects over the years, one of their flagship events is InfoRoom, a series of talks aimed at strengthening the ecosystem of Filipino SME’s within Abu Dhabi. Another notable project is BizTalk, a series of lectures by established and successful entrepreneurs and resource speakers.

    With the collective goal of linking Filipino entrepreneurs and partners, the PBC-AUH plays a key role in connecting entities to business opportunities whether in the Philippines through the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) or via the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and its attached service units and other supporting entrepreneurial organizations.

    The group believes that, with the innate Filipino resourcefulness and resilience, success in business is there for the taking. According to Chairman Deborah Gay Dayrit, “We global Filipinos are known for our remarkable adaptability and ingenuity. If these traits are augmented and backed up with a proper support system, we will produce more Filipino owned SMEs that will outshine the rest. To rise from the status quo, one needs to dare fearlessly, and yes, the PBC is here to support and see them compete globally.”

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  • Cromwell Ojeda – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Cromwell Ojeda – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Tastemaker: Cromwell Ojeda

    Artist & Musician

    Photo by: Eros Goze

    Cromwell Ojeda balances two passions at the same time. By day, he is a senior graphic designer for the first nuclear energy power plant in the region. At night, he turns into a passionate artist pushing the boundaries of locally-produced music and elevating the Filipino brand in the process.

    His passion project, the Blacksheep Production which started in 2008, gave birth to the Filipino underground music scene in the emirates. With him at the helm, Blacksheep provided a platform for Filipino bands to play original music, shunning the stereotypical notion of Pinoy groups doing only covers. Blacksheep gave birth to its spin off – the Rocktoberfest, which is the longest running Filipino rock event in the Middle East.

    Under his own brand, Muhaisnah Four Cromwell produces synth pop and chill wave music. He has performed with the region’s top artist from Lebanon, Egypt and Bahrain, and has played with international artist Princess Nokia, Daedelus, Dam Funk, Knxwledge, Jessy Lanza, Earl Switshirt to name a few. Cromwell has also worked with top brands such as RedBull, AlexanderMcqueen, Moscot, and Palladium Shoes among others, and was chosen as one of the first Adidas Original ambassadors in the Middle East.

    Cromwell hopes that through his initiatives, he can push to better the platform for Filipino talents in the region.  He says, “I hope to keep inspiring and pushing Filipinos to rise as world-class top acts in the creative and music industry.”  (more…)

  • Nina Peñalosa Carpio – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Nina Peñalosa Carpio – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Nina Peñalosa Carpio

    HR Professional & Lifestyle Influencer 

    Photo by: Jef Anog

    Proudly kayumanggi beauty Nina Peňalosa-Carpio is one lifestyle influencer who is using the power of social media to make a positive change in the narrative on Filipinas in the digital space.

    Nina’s goal is to elevate the image of Filipinas by highlighting success stories of those who have broken virtual barriers to become leaders and influencers in their respective fields.  She also promotes the celebration of Filipina beauty, providing a great representation for kayumanggi-skinned Pinays, through her platforms.

    Prominent as a lifestyle influencer in the UAE, Nina is currently the Human Resources Director at Jollibee in the emirates.  Recently, she has also taken on a new role as TFC’s regional host in the online show KWorld, covering different community events and featuring Filipino achievers in the country. She had interviewed a roster of Filipino talents, including Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.

    Nina shares, “One of the reasons why I’m doing what I’m doing is to change the narrative about Filipina beauty and being a Filipina in general. I believe that through my works, I have encouraged many Filipino women to celebrate the kind of beauty they have. I wish that I have also inspired them to elevate the image of a Filipina and embrace the idea that it’s not uncommon for Filipino women to be CEOs, presidents, directors, and country managers in companies.”  She adds, “I want the world to know the Filipinas through their beauty, intelligence, and passion in pursuing positive change. We can blaze the trail – not just for ourselves, but for generations of other women.”

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  • Paul Ramos – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Paul Ramos – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Tastemaker: Paul Ramos

    @thestylechoreo

    Photo by: Donell Gumiran

    Fashion and lifestyle blogger Paul Ramos of “The Style Choreo” has been a very prominent fixture in Dubai’s fashion scene as well as the digital landscape.  His commitment to the dapper sartorial style is memorable and hard to miss.

    Paul’s feed has been peppered with numerous exciting projects with an enviable roster of brand collaborations.  2019 was equally jampacked with initiatives that cement his name as a top blogger in the region.  The year’s highlights include his interview with 50’s Inside, a French TV show in Paris about Zaya Nurai Island, the most Instagrammable place in the UAE.  He has also worked with international fashion brands, hotels, restaurants, malls, supermarkets, and barbershops.  One of his recent fave gigs is his partnership with Coach on their latest Naruto–inspired collection.

    For Filipinos aspiring to make an impact out there, Paul has this to say, “Focus on your passion and be determined to achieve your goals.  Most importantly, do what you love and love what you do.”

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  • Ion Gonzaga – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Ion Gonzaga – Illustrado 300 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf

    Trailblazer – Ion Gonzaga

    Blogging Pioneer

    Photo by Jef Anog 

    Known as ‘Boy Dubai,’ Ion Gonzaga has been one of the earliest bloggers in the UAE scene and has now gone on to reinvent himself and his career. Currently, the Lead Digital Transformation Consultant of Accenture Middle East, Ion, leads the UX design of the region’s would-be first highly interactive B2B platform. This year, he also formed BXDNOW.COM, a network of content co-creators and writers around the world committed to empowering GLOCAL communities through stories shaped in a meaningful perspective and encouraging context.

    At present, the website has contributors from UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, Philippines, Singapore, and New Zealand. “We have just started bi-monthly workshops about blogging, vlogging and about online tools to use in creating digital content,” he says.

    Ion has represented the UAE in different blogging events, written for magazines and dailies, spoken at blogging conferences, and partnered with major brands for commercial collaborations – earning several awards in the process such as the Rotary Youth Leadership Award.

    Always the storyteller, he encourages his peers to reach out and share people’s stories with the world. “I believe it’s about time to ‘unlimit’ ourselves when it comes to our concept of community,” he says.

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