The walls of the Sentro Filipino Cultural Center in San Francisco are filled with pictures of countless clients proudly showing off their Baybayin tattoos.

The artist behind the tattoos and the curator behind the Baybayin tattoo exhibit is Filipino-American Jeff Quintano.

He hopes that through the symposium, people will appreciate and explore the thriving Baybayin movement with those who have the script as tattoos. 

“They will see that the people getting these Baybayin tattoos are all ages and [are] really good people,” he said. “They will also see ow this is bringing families together, how this is also creating that bond, that relationship and connecting to their roots and representing their culture.”

Quintano’s clients say he works with them to create meaning behind their tattoos, while also educating them on Baybayin.

“I didn't really know much about my culture,” Cheryl Elchico admitted. “When my husband met Jeff, we just loved being Filipino now. He (Quintano) brought it out and said, ‘I'm so proud to represent it.’”

Many of Quintano’s FilAm clients also shared that their tattoos help them with their Filipino identity. 

“His tattoos translate more of your history and then [it] kind of represents more of what you want,” said Mark Cayabyab, “and shows a little bit of what his art style is.”

Quintano currently works out of humble beginnings in San Jose in California, but has a clientele base across Northern California and beyond.

“The community here really has a massive contribution to the revival of the script,” he said. “I just hope to document that, so more people can see it, and know about it.”

Quintano hopes to bring the symposium to other cities in the near future to spread more awareness about Baybayin and to inspire more people to be proud of their culture.