MARKANG PINAS
2013 Philippine Young Design Lions competition's winning entry
THE BRIEF:
In 2012, the Philippines ranked as the the 3rd strongest asian country among developing markets (1st is China, 2nd is Thailand). It is dubbed as the Rising Tiger of Asia yet without a single symbol for progress. Other countries use infrastructures as symbols like Paris' Eiffel Tower and Malaysia's Petronas Towers. If architecture is how a country's progress is perceived, how do you represent the Philippines without this kind of edifice?
THE CHALLENGE:
Create an icon that would represent a progressive Philippines.
OUR ANSWER:
It is assumed that the Philippines doesn't have an iconic infrastructure to depict it as a progressive nation, when actually it does.
The Banaue Rice Terraces, an improvised rice field with an effective irrigation system, proves that Filipinos have a progressive mindset. Plus, it is a testament to something even more important. Something evident in Filipinos even today. Their hard work.
All over the world, Filipinos are known for it. And it has made our labor force our number one export.
Indeed there’s hardly a country in the world where Filipinos have not left their finger prints.
This is why we chose the Banaue Rice Terraces which at a certain angle resembles an individual’s finger prints.
Instead of saying the more common, “Markang Pinoy”, we elevated the idea from just one individual to the whole country, thus, “Markang Pinas”.
Filipino language is also used to exemplify Pinoy pride.
This is the mark of progress. This is the mark of hard work. This is the mark of the Filipino.
