Even ’til this day, we still haven’t found the “answer” to the neverending question, what does it mean to be a Filipino? And because we can’t agree on one, specific answer, we often base it on our collective resilience, physical appearance, and of course, #PinoyPride.
Aside from the above-mentioned qualities, what it means to be a “true-blooded” Filipino depends on how we actually live every day. You are not a genuine Pinoy if you haven’t tried taho (sweetened flavored tofu) in the morning or rode a jeepney on your way to school or work. So in time for the Philippine Independence Day, 17-year-old pixel artist Paul Timothy Sabado shared on Twitter an album of his artworks that depict the Filipinos’ daily lives.
Speaking to InqPOP!, Sabado shared that the inspiration behind this concept is his everyday experience.
“The thing that inspired me to create this series of animation is the aesthetic and simplicity of the movements I see every time I roam around the busy streets of Manila. And that thought helped me to polish my concepts,” he said.
Check out his works of art:
Lugawan nambawan pic.twitter.com/oBlA2M7guz
— Paul Sabado (@sabadontt) June 10, 2019
Our love of street food is deeply rooted in our culture—this is why ihawans (a stall that sells a variety of street food) are usually found in every corner of a typical Pinoy neighborhood.
Aside from being tagged as the “Hari ng Kalsada (King of the Street)” in the Philippines, the jeepney also became a distinct icon for Filipinos’ ingenuity.
Since we are accustomed to eating rice, we have different ways of turning it into meals—like this rice porridge, locally known as lugaw.
And of course, we are all familiar with how Manila, in particular, looks like when it’s raining.
Although there are many ways to be identified as a true Filipino, our optimistic attitude towards any serious or stressful situations is what really sets us apart from the rest of the world.
If you want to see more of Sabado’s artworks, you may check out his Instagram account.
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Read more from InqPOP!:
LOOK: Alexander Wang stages ‘al fresco’ fashion show with street food, public crowd
We found the coolest jeepney that will make you not want to say “para po”