Aaron Amar: Championing Filipino Culture for Ourselves

For Aaron Amar, creator of the free Filipino-inspired fonts Cubao and Quiapo, it’s time we stop looking to other countries for design inspiration and start creating for the Philippines.

Written by Erika Anne Sulat

(Patok Magazine/Marianna Compas)

Aaron Amar

Aaron Amar is a graphic and type designer known for creating the free typefaces Quiapo and Cubao, both inspired by jeepney signages.

His interest started with just pure curiosity in learning how to create fonts. “In my earlier days as a graphics designer, I was very curious [about] how creating fonts works. I also have a high memory when recognizing fonts and typefaces that most of us use.” He states. His exploration started in the web app Fonstrap and then he ventured to other platforms.

His journey in creating the Filipino inspired fonts began when he wondered if countries have their own font styles unique to them, and if the Philippines had them.

Quiapo and Cubao

For Amar, there was a process in emulating the iconic style, the font styles, it wasn’t just simply tracing the existing works of jeepney lettering.

Initially released in 2021, Cubao Free is a display typeface dedicated to Filipino sign makers, jeepney drivers, and daily commuters of Metro Manila and beyond. The typeface is crafted by Aaron Amar, a proud Filipino. (Facebook/Aaron Amar)

“For me, I just took the essence of it, I researched how they do it, and just by looking up most of the hand-painted letterings that we see along not just on jeepneys but also on hand-painted [signs] that we see most of around Metro [Manila], or maybe in other parts of our country.” He states.

By 2022, Cubao Free’s Version 2 became readily available, offering a wider selection of font styles—free to download through Aaron Amar’s Behance page. (Behance/Aaron Amar)

Following the popularity of Cubao Free, Aaron Amar released Quiapo Free in 2023, drawing inspiration from the jeepney signs displayed behind the windshields of jeepneys and other public transport vehicles across Metro Manila and cities throughout the country. (Behance/Aaron Amar)

Amar mentions taking reference from the similar flat brush angles used by letterists in Quiapo, as well as the condensed arrangement of the letters in signages.

With its updated version, Quiapo Free has expanded its glyph set and made its special characters much easier to type through the use of ligatures. (Facebook/Aaron Amar)

Rediscovering Filipino Identity

For Amar, it’s important to know and keep our identity as Filipinos. He adds that most design trends here have just been us following what is trending outside our country.

“—We mostly end up doing what is trending outside our country, in Western countries. We mostly see them [as] more successful, more progressive than ours, because they’re first-world countries.”

The sad part about this is that we tend to lose our touch with our culture and identity. Which adds to the need to contribute and give back to our culture

Championing our Culture in the Midst of Globalization

Amar states that it’s not just him who has the motivation and mission when it comes to our design and art. With the state of contemporary art now, he mentions that we’re heading to a direction where we are now re-inventing our own culture in a modern manner that isn’t detrimentally affecting what we’re adapting.

Invited by Uniqlo Philippines, Aaron Amar and other Filipino type designers collaborated on the Uniqlo UTME line, where customers can customize shirts using typefaces inspired by jeepney headboards (Instagram/aaronxamar)

“I think some, especially in [the] arts and culture, mas pinopromote na natin yung sarili nating kultura. In a modern setting, in a modern approach, kahit hindi man magkaroon ng award outside, it’s important na we can be proud of ourselves again.” He points out, detailing how Filipino artists are now creating works about ourselves without worrying about outsiders.