MANILA, PHILIPPINES – If you’re familiar with local culture, TeamManila is your go-to merch that screams Filipino graphic-designed lifestyle, perfect for pasalubong or everyday wear. From retail to the iconic Rizal-with-sunglasses logo, TeamManila has long existed in our consciousness as the brand that continues to be culturally relevant through design and storytelling.
Now celebrating 20 years of its retail brand, TeamManila marked this milestone not just with a typical reunion, but through DIWA — a group poster exhibit created by the founders and a select number of alumni.
Photo Credits: Kevin Paul Santos
“DIWA,” a Tagalog word meaning “essence” or “consciousness,” aimed not only to evoke nostalgia but to reflect on how design has shaped both the minds of its makers and the audiences they’ve inspired. It was a visual tribute to collective growth, shared experiences, and creative evolution. The exhibit showcased a diverse collection of posters, artworks, and visual narratives by TeamManila alumni ranging from designers, art directors, illustrators, photographers, marketers, and of course, the co-founders themselves, Jowee Alviar and Raymund Punzalan.
When asked about this 20-year journey, co-founder Jowee Alviar shared: “It’s wonderful to see where our alumni are now in their creative journeys. Some are making their own mark as graphic designers, while others are continuing what they learned from TeamManila and applying it to their current work. We just wanted to come out with something we’d like to wear, like an extension of our graphic design. We didn’t realize it would become an inspiration to many, or even a movement for Philippine graphic design.”
Jou Ache, a former intern at TeamManila, reflected on the experience: “My time in Team Manila was short but I got largely exposed to artists of diverse aesthetics! Being immersed through such a workplace helped me with experimenting different styles, techniques, and subjects. I became more specific with how I want my own works to look and feel like. I also learned their ways of researching and building concepts which I think is my biggest takeaway from my internship with them.”
Photo Credits: Kevin Paul Santos
TeamManila alumnus Carlo San Jose also credited the brand for shaping his design career:
“Team Manila had a huge influence on both my career and personal life. It was where I developed my style—one that still pays dividends today and helped open doors to working with top brands. I worked primarily on the lifestyle side, designing merch for Daily Grind and Team Manila. Kuya Jowee and Kuya Mon gave us room to explore and pitch ideas. If your work wasn’t good, it wouldn’t get picked—simple as that. So you had to bring your best every single time if you wanted your design to make it to the store. Being in that environment, surrounded by sharp creatives, pushes you to create. Like Jordan, I took things personally. That mindset fueled me to be as good as I could be—an asset that’s crucial if you want to thrive in this industry.”
Photo Credits: Kevin Paul Santos
With DIWA as the theme, many of the posters took on deeply personal tones. Alumni designer Jeth Torres explained: The poster [also] highlights two things that matter to me, Peace and Pesos. I found inner peace in design and typography (often disturbed by deadlines, though). As for pesos, I’ve always been open about my love for money, in a good way. The poster is also a message to everyone: I hope you find both peace and prosperity in whatever form they come to you. ₱’s be with you all.”
More than just an anniversary celebration, DIWA is a visual affirmation of TeamManila’s enduring legacy in Filipino design — founded in history, grounded in community, and propelled by a collective creative trajectory toward the future.
We’re excited to see what comes next not just for TeamManila, but for the mark it continues to make on the local graphic design industry. You can also buy the poster pieces at diwa-exhibit.pages.dev.
