With the tri-colour flag and sun expertly woven into the Jets logo anchoring the design, there are other small details to appreciate.
"I took inspirations from different patterns such as textiles, tribal patterns, and tattoos - things that represent our culture," Dalayoan said. "Just wanting to make sure that when people look at it - not only the Filipino culture, but when people look at it - they know it's a positive aesthetic and a proud aesthetic."
Gomez is thrilled with how it turned out. The process was also rewarding, as he's been working to reconnect himself with his Filipino roots.
"I've had conversations with my parents, my uncles and my aunts, about the Philippines and what it was like for them to immigrate here," Gomez said. "One family dinner I had my parents, my uncles, my aunts over, and we brought up the computer and we were Google Earth-ing their house, where they grew up, and what it was like to live there."
He recalled as a kid being enrolled in classes to learn Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines, and was part of traditional dance classes as well. But, he admits to being more focused on the Canadian side of his heritage at the time.
"I started playing sports and I wanted to eat hamburgers, just be more engrained in being Canadian. I kind of lost track of that side of me," said Gomez. "It literally wasn't until I moved out of my parents house, stopped eating the things they'd normally make for me, that I started realizing that this is something I want back."
Dalayoan has kids of his own, so seeing a logo he worked on worn by a National Hockey League team in his city is important to him.
"The sacrifices my parents made to come here and make sure their kids had a better life. I'm born here, but I'm basically the first generation of Filipino," he said. "We're also the trailblazers for the future kids. Being able to have this platform and be able to share with my own kids, and be an example to other kids, knowing you can use your gifts to become successful doing what you love - it means a lot. It means a lot to contribute to the city in a positive way."
As he says, the project is "super cool," but the lasting impact it'll have on not only the Filipino community, but the entire city and beyond, is something he doesn't take lightly.
"I don't want people to think it's just for Filipino people. I wanted it to be cool enough that everybody would wear it," Dalayoan said with a laugh. "Whether you're Filipino or not, I wanted to make sure people wear it proud and have a good feel about it."
If the design process was any indication, the logo is already doing just that.
"The fact I got to work Jonato and talk about specifically being Filipino is something I've never done professionally," said Gomez. "Going to him, finding out what our common points are, not only as Filipinos but as sports fans, Canadians, and Winnipeggers, it's something a lot of people don't get to do."
