Our Story

I'm Jojo. My husband Scott and I built PAPO, and we have four kids together.

I'm Filipino and Chilean. I spent the early years of my childhood in the Philippines and came to the United States in second grade. Young enough to adapt to a new home, old enough to remember where I came from.

Growing up between cultures shaped me in ways I didn't appreciate until much later. There were the Filipino traditions: the food, the family gatherings, the humor, the respect for our elders, the hospitality, and that unmistakable ability to turn almost any occasion into one involving a ridiculous amount of food. And there was the American culture I was growing up in at the same time. I learned how different those worlds could be. I also learned I didn't have to choose between them.

My mother, Josephine, was born in Pioduran, Albay, one of ten children. My grandparents, Virginia and Eladio, farmed there. Virginia died when my mother was six. Dely, the oldest, was 21. She raised the rest of them. My mother came to the United States in 1992 and worked as a housekeeper for several years.

Two cultures, one family

Scott isn't Filipino. But anyone who knows him knows how deep his fascination with the Philippines runs. The people, the history, the traditions, and especially the pride Filipinos have in where they come from. He loves that pride. Somewhere along the way, my culture became our family's culture too.

Our home is a mix of backgrounds, personalities, traditions, food, stories, and bad jokes. It doesn't fit neatly into one box, and we wouldn't want it to.

Why we built PAPO

We wanted Filipino-inspired clothing we'd actually wear. Not a souvenir. Not the same handful of stereotypes. Not something you buy only because it has a flag on it. We wanted designs that represent where we come from and still look like something you'd genuinely want to put on before leaving the house.

Why the designs look the way they do

The people in our families worked. They cleaned houses, raised other people's children, staffed hospital floors, and sent money home. The strength in our designs isn't decoration. It's a record of what people were already carrying.

Some designs are loud. Some are quiet. Some celebrate Filipino culture directly; others speak to nurses, gym life, family, or humor. The same thread runs through all of them: pride in where you came from, without pretending it's the only thing that defines you.

Who it's for

There isn't one version of this. You can be born in Manila or California. You can speak Tagalog fluently or barely understand what your relatives are saying until they switch to English. You can be Filipino, Filipino-American, mixed, married into a Filipino family, or simply someone who genuinely loves and respects the culture.

Identity can be complicated. Pride doesn't have to be.

Made with respect

This culture is personal to us, so how we represent it matters. When we bring in Filipino symbols, history, language, professions, or humor, we do it on purpose. We won't get everything perfect. We're a family building a young business, and we'll listen and adjust as we go. But we'll always care about what PAPO represents.

From our family to yours

Our hope is that you see a design and recognize a piece of yourself in it. Where you grew up. Your parents. Your grandparents. Your profession. Your gym crew. Your family.

We're Jojo and Scott, building this together, one design at a time. We're glad you're here.

The work is the statement.

Represent your culture. Wear your pride.

— The PAPO Family