osomundo

OSOMUNDOmakes visual ideas that take the form of artworks, illustrations and designs for advertising, publication and all sorts of odd objects. We love art, images and visual communication and we love collaborating with other people to make these ideas exist outside of our heads.

If you like what you see, we’d love to collaborate with you on future projects.

OSOMUNDO IS ROMMEL JOSON & ABI DAYACAP.

PRINT ADS & POSTERS

WWF Recycling Poster • Silver 2009 Adobo Design Competition

Spot the Sites Print Ad & Store Mural • Globe Broadband

JanSport Print Ad Series

Neozep Summer Colds Poster

Metrobank Branch Posters

Children’s Hour Print Ad

Children’s Hour Strip Ads

Inyorai Video Festival Posters

UP Sandayaw Poster

Levi’s Art Posters

Dewberry Poster Campaign

PUBLICATION & PACKAGING DESIGN

Dekada ‘70 Cover Design

Maynila Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag DVD Packaging

SEQUENTIAL ILLUSTRATIONS

“The Man Who Loved The Poor”, Bookmark Publishing, 2007

“Maharlika”, Self-initiated Project, 2009

“The Wordless Gift”, Self-initiated Project, 2007

“3rd World Snow”, published in Heights Literary Anthology Vol. 52, No. 2, 2010

“Ang Mahiwagang Salamin ni Ana”, Thesis Project, 2006

RETAIL DESIGN

JanSport 40th AnniversaryWindow Displays

JanSport 2009 Back to School Window Displays

JanSport 2009 Back to School Window Display, SM Makati

Goldenhills Wall Panel Designs

WEB DESIGN

Dunkin Donuts Website Design

INVITES & MAILERS

Bonifacio Art Foundation 2008 Christmas Card

SPECIAL PROJECTS

JanSport Kombi Van

DC Skateboard Art

Art for Souvenir Kiddie Party Bags

JanSport Delivery Truck

ILLUSTRATIONS FOR PRESS

The Embarassing Book, Total Girl Magazine

Stereotypes, Total Girl Magazine

On Industrialization, Asian Institute of Management Alumni Magazine

DEMAND FOR THE TRANSPORTATION industry is always derived from the activities of real economy, or of the “Main Street” as Mr. Obama calls it. The industry does act as a health detector, as it feels the pulse of the economy a few months before the numbers end up as statistics on economists’ desks.

Since the beginning of this decade there has been a significant surge in Chinese exports to the US and Europe, rendering the country as the “factory of the world.” This surge came immediately after China joined the WTO in the end of 2001. Similarly, there has been a significant export and trade growth in Vietnam after it joined the WTO in the end of 2006.

These are important observations. Globalization meant relocation of manufacturing (and its associated pollution) to countries like China and Vietnam. These were commercial decisions made in most cases by the multi-national companies (MNCs) driven by the sole objective of maximization of profits.

The transportation industry and in particular, the container shipping industry, played a very important role as a facilitator of globalization. The industry did manage to provide a very cost efficient logistics solution. The transportation costs typically amounted to tiny fractions of the final retail price. Hence, how far away the production center is located from the consuming center did not really matter much as long as relocation of manufacturing resulted in an overall reduction of costs.

The export-led economic growth has helped the Asian countries in many ways—in accumulating financial surpluses, in improving the standards of life, and in reducing poverty. It also boosted intra-regional trade as more Asians had more purchasing power.

There are now suggestions from many quarters that the export-led growth of Asia is unsustainable, and that manufacturing must return to the US. Asian countries are advised to re-tool their economies by reduc-ing dependence on exports and by boosting their domestic demand.

While it is good to boost domestic demand, the fundamental question remains whether a return of manufacturing to the US will result in an overall reduction of costs. After all, it was the profit maximization motive that drove the relocation of manufacturing out of the US in the first place.

The only way it would make sense for the MNCs to move their manufacturing back to the US is if the protectionist tariff structures make it more costly to import goods manufactured in Asia. This then leads to the policy issues. Would the US abandon its commitment to free market and unilaterally decide to build protectionist walls? The questions will soon be answered by the President-elect Obama. But

considering the geo-political realities of an increasingly multi-polar world, it is an extremely unlikely scenario that the US will abandon its commitment to free market and globalization.

During the Asian currency crisis a decade ago, the affected countries embarked on an export growth strategy as a path to recovery. This was successful for two reasons; first, lower exchange rates made the products cheaper for the buyers, and second, there was a strong demand elsewhere in the world since the contagion of currency crisis was in a way contained only within parts of Asia.

Unfortunately, the previous solution of export-your-way-out-of-the-problem is not going to work this time around. At least, not yet. Simply because, there is not enough consumer demand in the developed worlds of the US and EU.

So, does it mean all gloom and doom? Well, as a first step, there ought to be positive thinking which should lead to positive actions. We must consciously work towards improving sentiments, individually and collectively.

The US$ 580 billion economic stimulus program swiftly announced by the Chinese government is indeed good news. Realizing that there is not enough demand at the moment for the export of Chinese manufac-tured goods, the government announced an inward-looking program, which among others aims to develop investments in productive infrastruc-

tures including low-cost housing as well as to give more cash in the hands of the citizens spurring do-mestic consumption. At first this will lead to increase in construction activities, which will have a positive

impact to the steel industry. Through the trading of necessary raw materi-als and related products as well as the spin-off effects to other industries, the rest of Asia will have a lot to gain from this stimulus program of China. Chinese government will perhaps not hesitate to take more decisive steps if the above stimulus proves to be less than satisfactory.

One thing that is now hampering the intra-regional trade is the lack of trade financing. The banks are simply not lending money even for trade related working capital. The letters of credits are not being opened because the banks have stopped trusting each other and are hesitant to take counterparty risks. Banks, most of which are publicly listed, are shying away from new lending in order to shore up their balance sheets prior to year-end closing date. It is widely believed that trade financing will resume once we step into the next financial year.

Asia and the Global Financial Turmoil

“Asia and the Global Financial Turmoil” cont. on page 59 >>

Social media is not clean-cut. It’s organic and alive, because the users obviously outnumber marketing people.

ILLUSTRATION: ROMMEL JOSON

On Leadership, Asian Institute of Management Alumni Magazine

ABI’S ARTWORKS

ROMMEL’S ARTWORKS

EMAIL US AT: [email protected]

osomundo

Design

jansport 2009 back

asian institute

embarassing book

free market

trade nancing

initiated project

thesis project

chinese government