In celebration of its 70th anniversary, the Filinvest Group unveiled a meaningful collaboration with industrial designer Selena Placino, who created a bespoke corporate memento for its partners’ event held last September 17.
Placino designed a set of wooden bookends titled Sandigan, a Filipino word meaning support or pillar, symbolizing something one can lean on or draw strength from. Inspired by the Ifugao wood sculpture traditionally associated with a good harvest, the piece pays tribute to Filinvest founders Andrew and Mercedes Gotianun, honoring their legacy as the Group’s “visionary” and “tireless implementer.”
Each bookend embodies these qualities: one takes the form of a seated figure with closed arms in contemplation, symbolizing the visionary, while the other, with open arms, reflects readiness to act and tirelessly implement. Viewed from the side, both figures form upward-pointing arrows, expressing the Filinvest Group’s forward-looking purpose.
For Filinvest, the partnership reflects its commitment to nurturing creativity and talent. “At Filinvest, we open opportunities for growth and success for people from all walks of life,” said Francis Gotianun, First Senior Vice President of Filinvest Hospitality. “Collaborating with creative minds like Selena reflects the value we place on talent and innovation, both within our organization and in the broader community.”
“This project was deeply meaningful for me. Creating bookends felt symbolic, as they hold together the stories Filinvest and its partners have built and collected through the years,” said Selena Placino, adding that the collaboration was her first with a corporate group.
Selena Placino’s work spans everyday objects—from furniture and lighting to packaging and toys—for both established brands and startups. She is known for her “Taho” bench and other creations that deliver thoughtful, positive solutions to elevate the human experience.
Established in 1955, the Filinvest Group is one of the Philippines’ most diversified conglomerates, with businesses in real estate, banking and financial services, power and utilities, hospitality, and sugar.
The collaboration marks another way the Group continues to embody its enduring mission of enabling Filipino dreams.