Page 8 - Hello Philippines January 2016 'B' issue

8 www.hello-philippines.com IMMIGRATION / OFNEWS January 2016 / Fortnightly – No. 2 • UK & Europe Edition

PIMiITnAToIOyNS SbPOrTToEDtIhN GeRrEEsNHIiLnLS NJ race to protect
their clothing brand from bootlegging

TWO New Jersey-based Filipino- company, “our drag racing team was Founders of ESR, from left: Francis Mabutas, Brian Mabutas and Hugo Han. The FilAm photo money into new designs and eventually
American brothers have created the fastest street car team in the Tri- after about a year outgrew my parents’
a lifestyle apparel company by state and at a local level we were well Designing began as a juvenile who work in health care — mother is garage and moved my inventory to my
combining their passions for drag known at drag racing events and car hobby. a nurse and father worked in hospital friend’s basement.”
racing and graphic design. shows. People at the events would ask pharmacies — were supportive. Such
if they can buy the shirts and stickers “I started with graffiti sketches,” passion needs to make a little money. The turning point came when the
Brian Mabutas, 30, and brother with my design on them and I would said Brian. “Then I learned how to ESR brand was featured in two racing
Francis, 36, are the owners of the turn them down because I created it to design on my Packard Bell computer. “In 2007, I started a brand that magazines, “Super Street” and “Import
clothing brand Eat Sleep Race (ESR), be exclusive to our team.” I taught myself all of my computer combined what I loved –cars/racing, Tuner.” Orders stared rolling in through
which recently moved into a large graphic design knowledge.” and graphic design,” said Brian. ““I the online store. The brand grew from
property in Edison, N.J. that serves as It got to a point where Brian and started the brand with 2 t-shirt designs being a local Jersey brand and gained
the warehouse, office, and show room. his brother Francis, 36, started seeing Car racing, however, was something with a couple hundred bucks I saved up national and global exposure.
They have a third partner, Hugo Han, similar designs being sold at car shows he picked up from older brother from working multiple jobs not knowing
whom the brothers trust to help “build and racing events. Francis. “He took me to the events and if anyone would even buy them.” “I quickly outgrew my friend’s
the brand.” street races with his friends and from basement and moved into my first
“All they did was change the last then I was hooked,” he said. “I started by asking my friends if warehouse which was a 3,000 sq. ft.
Around early 2000, the import/ box to random things like Honda, they would pre-order them at cost just garage at a lumber yard,” said Brian.
sport compact scene in the US was Mitsubishi, Ford, which doesn’t even When Brian was 16, his parents so I could afford to get the minimum
made up mostly of Asians, many of make sense because you can’t Eat Sleep bought him a Honda Civic from a amount that the printer wanted me to The ESR branding was
them Filipino-Americans. They raced Ford. At that point a lightbulb went off friend who had died. At a young age, order. I folded and bagged every shirt phenomenal. ESR shirts were
and customized imported European in my head and made me realize that he began modifying the car to his own myself and hand-wrote the sizes on showing up on Philippine television
cars, including Japanese luxury cars of other people were making money off of unique style and needs. name tag stickers that I cut into small worn by entertainment celebrities.
the Honda, Acura and Toyota brands. my idea,” he said. pieces. I stored the shirts in my parents’ Unfortunately, they’re wearing the
“I loved racing and at that time garage and sold them at Englishtown bogus brands.
Brian, 30, was part of grassroots This bootlegging mischief has my life revolved around racing. We Raceway Park with the help of
drag racing team in New Jersey called crossed over thousands of miles to the were at the events on the weekends, my friends and family. I designed “Someone had taken my design and
Team Alpha Racing. He was passionate Philippines. In stores across Greenhills, street races on week nights, in friends’ eatsleeprace.com to start a blog for the printed their own shirt, and it made its
over race cars that he created a design Brian learned that there were vendors garages wrenching, or hanging out in brand and learned how to set up an way into a TV show. I was upset but
that would become the primary logo selling imitations of his designs parking lots with our cars.” e-commerce site on my own. With the flattered and proud that my brand was
for East Sleep Race. alongside many other knock-off shirts. profit from these shirts I reinvested the on TV in my family’s native country.”
He personally saw them sold in several It dawned on Brian and Francis that
“In 2002 I created a design for Eat booths in Greenhills during a 2013 they could not go on simply pursuing From a business perspective,
Sleep Race,” he said. “It was a 3-box visit. their hobby, although their parents the brothers view this as part of the
design — the first box with a plate challenges facing many entrepreneurs:
with a fork and knife, the second box “I was flattered at first to see that our protecting what they have created.
with a bed, and the third with a civic brand is recognized internationally and
hatchback with a parachute.” has grown enough to be bootlegged,” Said Brian, “It would be great to find
he said. “But, they are taking away from out who the owners of these (bootleg)
“At the time,” continued Brian, who our sales and misleading consumers stores are and potentially work with
now works as a marketing executive for with counterfeits of our designs.” them to sell authentic Eat Sleep Race
OGS1320 drag racing event production products.” n The FilAm / Published / January 13,

2016 / 8:06 pm

DFA to constantly monitor situation of OFWs on Saudi-Yemen border
THE Department of Foreign Affairs guarantee the safety ng mga OFWs doon,” between Saudi troops and rebels in pagputok hanggang ngayon,” the OFW said. monitoring the conflict between Saudi

has vowed to increase the frequency of he said. Najran City. While the OFWs in Najran City Arabia and Iran.

sending crisis management teams to the President Benigno Aquino III, The attacks, which supposedly began in reportedly want to be transferred to a safer According to a Reuters report, Iran

Saudi Arabia-Yemen border to monitor meanwhile, assured the affected OFWs November 20015, have prompted at least location in Saudi Arabia, recruiter John has accused Saudi Arabia of attacking its

the situation of overseas Filipino workers they will be given assistance in looking for four OFWs to seek assistance from the Blas Bertiz said new migrant workers continue embassy in Yemen.

there in light of the constant bombings in jobs should they decide to return to the F. Ople Policy Center, a non-government to be sent to the conflict-stricken region. Despite brewing tension between the

the region. Philippines. organization assisting distressed migrant He said some new OFWs, especially two countries, Jose said there is still no

Foreign Affairs spokesperson Assistant “Walang pangamba si Sec. [Rosalinda] workers. domestic helpers, are unaware of the strife need for now to raise any alert level.

Secretary Charles Jose said the DFA will Baldoz na yung kung kakailanganin ay One of the OFWs who sought help in the area. “Based sa monitoring namin, wala

constantly check on the condition of makaka-provide ang gobyerno ng retraining from the center told GMA News that the “Ngayon kasi ang ginagamit nila RPG pang indication na at risk ang OFWs.

OFWs in Najran even as he said they have at tsaka job placement from these returning bombings have escalated to as much as 80 at improvised rocket, so hindi nila makita Walang plans to raise alert level or

been assured of the workers’ safety by countrymen of ours,” he said. blasts being heard everyday. kung saan nanggagaling itong bumabagsak impose travel restrictions,” he said. n

their employers. An estimated 5,000 OFWs are said to “Tuluy-tuloy pa rin ang pambobomba. sa Najran area,” he said. Xianne Arcangel / BM, GMA News / Published /

“Ina-assure ng mga employers na they be at risk due to the continued fighting Noong isang beses malapit dito… Tuloy ang Meanwhile, the DFA said it is also January 10, 2016 / 7:03 pm

Pinoys in Jeddah discuss preps in case Saudi-Iran rift worsens
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Leaders Although the situation here remains to in case of armed conflict, how to western region. monitoring the situation in areas

of Filipino communities here met with normal except for some protest rallies secure their end of service benefits The Filipinos were also told to near the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border

officials of the Philippine Consulate last in some areas, the Filipinos still saw the from their employers in case they always bring with them their passports after Filipino workers there reported

Friday to discuss possible preparations need to prepare for any eventuality. seek repatriation, who will shoulder so that availment of the exit visa will an increase in bombing activities

in case tensions between Saudi Arabia Among the topics discussed were their plane fares, and assistance that be speedy. by warring groups. He said they

and Iran escalate. the shelter where Filipinos can run could be extended to undocumented The consulate is ready to provide are planning to establish a crisis

Filipinos. travel documents to those Filipinos management hub in the area to

According to Vice Consul Alex who could not immediately present or address the situation in Jizan, Samtah

Estomo, head of the Assistance to produce their passports, Estomo said. and Najran.

National Section, the consulate has Estomo also said their contingency In case the security situation in

designated four convergence points plan included those for jailed Filipinos the border worsens, the consolidation

should the need for mass evacuation in Saudi Arabia, although he noted that point for Filipinos in Najran will be at

arises. They are Tabuk, Yanbu, this will depend on the result of the Abha province, Estomo said. n Ronaldo

Jeddah and the Khamis Mushayt coordination with Saudi authorities. Concha / KBK, GMA News / Published / January 11, 2016

area, all located in the Kingdom’s Estomo also said they are closely / 2:29 pm

HELLO PHILIPPINES IS PUBLISHED FORTNIGHTLY BY MSHARE LIMITED. THIS PUBLICATION IS COPYRIGHTED AND ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. UK & EUROPE EDITION • NORDIC, IRELAND, ITALY, SPAIN, AND FRANCE • WWW.HELLO-PHILIPPINES.COM