Tsinelas or slippers are a major part of Philippine culture. Every Filipino has at least one pair of tsinelas that they use almost everywhere they go, or as tsinelas na pambahay. It is lightweight, durable, and cheap (unless you buy the branded ones). These tsinelas are even used in some of our games, like tumbang-preso and paway, as a primary medium for gameplay.
But have you ever thought that these tsinelas can be turned into action figures?
Well, this man can do just that!
Elmer Padilla from Samar works as a construction worker in Imus, Cavite for his livelihood. But since this isn’t exactly a high-paying job, Padilla has found a way to earn extra income through his artistic talents. Using only discarded slippers and rubber as his primary materials, Padilla creates action figures and sells them on the streets of Imus.
His impressive rubber figures were noticed by the internet after Adrian Bernabe shared his work on GUHIT Pinas, a Facebook group for Filipino art. As of this writing, the post received over 8K reactions and almost 3K shares. His story and photos have even been featured in Reddit and BoredPanda.
Netizens were completely amazed by his work, praising his skill and expressing their desire to purchase his works.
Keep it up, Mr. Padilla!