#MalikhainMartes: A Love Letter To Filipino Women

Illustration and words by Tine Paz⁣

"Drawing female subjects allows me to express how important feminism is to me. I believe that we women should protect and support each other rather than fight among ourselves because only we know the pain and struggles of being a woman in this day and age.

Many of us have been subjected to probing questions—questions that may seem like light-hearted conversation to some but could actually just be backhanded compliments disguised as well-meaning comments, leaving us feeling burdened rather than uplifted. ⁣ ⁣ Despite the modern Filipino woman's ability to be independent and driven in her chosen path, older generations still tend to impose their often outdated standards when someone doesn't quite fit into the soft-spoken, meek, Maria Clara-esque cookie cutter mold.

With this illustration, I want to show my definition of a modern Filipino woman. I picture her as a woman who is strong in every sense, standing tall and proud, self-driven and passionate. It also shows in the illustration how a modern Filipina knows how to wear presentably and fashionably that may add up confidence in them. She is confident, refusing to conform to societal norms—starting with her clothes, because what she wears is no one's business but her own.

She is one-of-a-kind, a game-changer, which I made sure to show through the little details in her outfit. The butterfly sleeves, common in our Filipiniana clothing, represent her femininity. The collar on her blouse added a modern twist, meaning that she is progressive and forward, a leader in her own right. I gave her slacks to show gender equality—women are capable of so many things, even those traditionally deemed to be men's forte.

She is holding a gumamela, a flower commonly grown locally, representing self-love. The tibatib plants and alocasia sanderiana leaves in the background represent one of our riches as Filipinos: nature, our natural resources. Endemic plants such as these are important parts of our culture and history, hence part of our identity as Filipinos."⁣

Tine Paz-Yap (@pazzzeyy) is a 25-year old Manila-based designer and illustrator. Her interests include fashion and lifestyle, which inspire many of the artworks she creates. As a creative, Tine always tries to expose herself to things outside of her niche and broaden her understanding of the things she draws inspiration from. She spent the past few years delving deeper into things that are important to her: human rights, environmentalism, diversity, gender equality, body positivity and, most importantly, feminism.