Ophir Art Central on the Rise

A group of local artists, designers, skateboard enthusiasts, bikers and surfers team up together to create a social enterprise that would impact the community.

As creatives, the group decided to do a t-shirt printing business, where self-expression and personal advocacy can be communicated through individual lifestyle, and named it Ophir Art Central. This group is composed of surfing enthusiast Charles Putis, who have been in the t-shirt printing business for 10years and have teamed up with PMike Sonza who is a FlipTop artist and life coach, together also with Dire Husi Initiatives, an organization for artists and local talents.

Slowly everything comes into place and more people with the same like-mind have joined to make the journey much enjoyable, Eugene Ubalde, a vocal coach and admin specialist adds system based performance to the company, also on the team are Dhassig Band vocalist Jun Cacho, Ethno percussionist David Yañez, longboarder and skater Christian Jimenez and businesswoman Joana Seno.

With this team of talented young individuals and experts, a social enterprise based in Cagayan de Oro will one day create a dent in the creative industry in the country. Pushing for social consciousness in the business the group looks forward on how to innovate the business industry to be more participative in giving a change to the community by being more eco advocate and a catalyst for wholistic transformation to reformed youths.

Business is not all just earning money and maximizing profit but being a steward in the resources being acquired and responsible for bringing a bigger good to everyone. So how can artists and business create an impact for the community? Promote positive designs that can bring happiness to clients to be used as a fashion statement and can lift up people wherever the design goes. Cagayan de Oro is the gateway of Mindanao and accepting the challenge of creating an industry that is purely Kagay-anon and at the same time making macro impact to the rest of the world is a leap of faith, but having faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
Rise Filipinos, rise Ophir Art Central. For printing needs t-shirts, customized trophies, signage, ref magnets, mugs, keychains, ID lanyard, and all printing needs you can check Ophir Art Central at OphirArtCentral7@gmail.com or OphirArtCentral on facebook and you can text or call at 0975-190-5117.

(Rhyan Casiño, freelance writer, artist, is a member of rotary Club of West Cagayan de Oro and Chairman of Dire Husi Initiatives, Inc. recipient of the national award Ten Accomplished Youth Organization or TAYO. For comments/suggestions please send to direhusi.rhyan@gmail.com)