The Philippine Graphic Design Awards or PGDA is the first and only local awards program in the Philippines that recognizes the most creative and innovative artwork in the field of graphic design. By PGDA's definition, graphic design is the art and discipline of combining symbols, design, and words to represent and communicate ideas or messages.
10 years in the industry, currently designing T-shirts via Collision Theory. www.ajdimarucot.com
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AJ Dimarucot ditched his award-winning career at acclaimed advertising agency OgilvyOne Worldwide to design t-shirts. Sounds crazy? Not at all if it banks you over 10,000 USD and if the likes of Michael Jackson and Manny Pacquiao rave over your designs, which is exactly what AJ has managed to do. He now works freelance in a design outfit he and compadre Caliph8 like to call Collision Theory. He was a judge at the Philippine Web Awards for a number of years and is now part of the jury of the first Philippine Graphic Design Awards. He shares some important pointers we can all pick up from.
YEARS IN THE
INDUSTRY
2008 to present:
2003 to 2008:
2000 to 2003: 		Freelance
OgilvyOne Worldwide
Web designer for a now defunct web design shop
EXPERTISE T-Shirt Design
Web Design
CAREER
MILESTONES		 T-shirt designs approved by Michael Jackson himself before he passed Won the $10,000 T-shirt Design contest at designbyhumans.com Finalist at the $20,000 Threadless Bestee of the Year for 2008 and 2009 T-shirt design for Nike was worn by Manny Pacquaio
INTERVIEW What makes a graphic design piece worthy of your merit?
AJ: Any piece of graphic design that makes you take a second look is worthy of my merit. I like design that makes you think "wish I did that!"

What sets an outstanding Filipino graphic design piece apart from just a really good one?
AJ: I don't really see it as "Filipino graphic design," I think it should be just plain graphic design that happens to be made by a Filipino. So with all graphic design, it should communicate what it's supposed to communicate in a fresh, meaningful way.

What was your lowest low and highest high as a graphic designer?
AJ: Lowest of low is when I was starting out, because I tried to do everything from business cards, brochures, websites, etcetera, and I tried to copy every style and trend that was out there. I wasn't really content with what I was doing—just doing what everybody else was doing and not really finding my own voice. The highest point of my career was probably when I realized that I needed to do my own thing. I left the boxed-in mentality of an ad agency and started to do my own thing. That's when I started designing t-shirts and I haven't looked back since.

How do you think PGDA will stir the industry?
AJ: Hopefully, it'll get the young and established designers excited to join!

What advice do you have for Filipinos who wish to pursue a career in graphic design?
AJ: Learn the basics. Try to do everything once just to learn the tricks. Focus on getting good at one thing. Find your own voice.