The story of Amazing

For many Filipino entrepreneurs, their success is a story laced with sacrifice at great personal and financial cost. But every story fills us with hope and determination, and encourages us at times when we feel that we may never reach our goals. These are stories worth telling, so that future courageous visionaries may find the strength to stick to what they were meant to do.

Tarlac native and San Beda alum Amis Quizon Tumang also had his own vision. He was living the drive as a high school basketball player. But his bigger dream still lay ahead. He had a dream of creating a truly Flipino sports apparel brand, and just had a deep abiding belief that he could make it happen.

He started Amazing Playground over six years ago with a partner. He was having fun, making jerseys and jackets for friends and students, and his ideas seemed to be catching on. And unlike most young people who start a busines, Amis was not shy about asking for advice. He knew where he wanted to go. He just needed help in how to get there. When I first met him, he was in a long-sleeved shirt, gaudy cartoons necktie, jean slacks and gold high-tops. I liked his style, but I knew that if he molded his vision properly, he would be something big.

His ideas for basketball jerseys made from barong tagalog material were an instant hit with Filipinos abroad, who wore them as streetwear with printed t-shirts underneath. Students were starting to latch onto his designs, and were trooping to his shop to even wait for them to come off the sewing machines and printers. Things were starting to pick up.

However, unknown to Tumang, his partner was siphoning funds away from the company for his own personal gain, there was no way to keep track of the money since they trusted each other implicitly. They even used to personally deliver their products to the provinces because they didn’t know any better. After that betrayal, Amis realized he had to professionalize everything, and make sure everything was in order. 

“I learned that everything had to be on record,” the devout Michael Jordan fan told The Star. “My sister helped me with the accounting, and gave the staff more responsibility. I learned to delegate, so I could focus on creating designs that people would want to wear. It was a ig learning step for me.”

Amis also moved to a bigger facility along Timog Avenue in Quezon City, and worked out his personal issues to better be able to focus on work. Now, business is business, and everything is written on paper and has a fixed schedule. Less headache for its founder.

In the last few months alone, Amis has launched trends that the urban youth have grabbed onto. He started the trend of camouflage urban wear, and saw his Facebook page swamped with orders, which he usually answers personally. This year, floral fabric designs formerly favored for upholstery have become the new fad, now worn as sleeveless blouses and jerseys by well-known amateur athletes and young fashion models. All of them endorse Amazing Playground because they like the designs and find them hip. In the last two weeks, Amis revived the tie-dye trend of the hippie 1970’s, but with a basketball-themed flair, and every occasion is an occasion to commemorate. He sources out all the fabrics himself.

“I have learned a lot from my failures, and I realized who my real friends are,” he adds. “I’m enjoying my work, and constantly feel thankful I can do what I love. The last four years have been amazing.”

Amis, now called “Amaze” by his friends, celebrated his official fourth anniversary last Saturday. In preparation, he launched a Facebook campaign, offering to raffle off merchandise if his logo was “liked” 40,000 times. It took less than three days, and the logo was shared thousands of times and used as a profile picture hundreds more, things are definitely looking up. Over four thousand people formed an endless stream up the stairs to his third floor factory and office for the party.

Amis’ circle of friends has now expanded to embrace athletes and entertainers. Among them are the San Beda Red Lions and Red Cubs, singers liks Slapshock’s Jamir Garcia, rappers like Mike Swift, the Sex Bomb Dancers, DJ Skin Kadafi, the hosts of ABS-CBN’s ‘It’s Showtime!’, comedian Jimmy Santos, sports personalities like Alex Crisano, dozens of models, and even the Philippine national tackle football team, the Pilipinas Aguilas. Accomplished actress Diana Zubiri is a partner in a new line of women’s fitness apparel. Investors approach him to ride on his new ideas. Things are constantly looking up.

The story of Amis Tumang and Amazing Playground is a story of passion and of overcoming obstacles with the purity of its vision. It is a story of following your dream, no matter what it takes. It is a story worth telling.