Artwork for Japan Foundation, Manila - Inspiring Resonance: SUKI x WA Project 2.0

Digital, submission, 2025

The Japan Foundation, Manila called for illustrations and design on Inspiring Resonance: SUKI x WA Project 2.0. The WA Project 2.0 is a ten-year two-way extensive cultural exchange program not just between Japan and the Philippines but also ASEAN and other Asian countries.

My inspiration behind this was the Japanese word, wa, and our very own 'kapwa.'

Wa and kapwa—two beautiful words for people that care for each other.

As I thought about the Japanese word wa and its meaning for the Japanese people, I was led to think of kapwa, a Filipino word that means shared identity, as defined by Virgilio Enriquez, the father of Filipino psychology. It can also mean “a fellow human being,” “another person,” or “neighbor.”

You may read more and see the artworks chosen on the Japan Foundation, Manila website.