When Danica Jane Yosoya left her hometown of Candoni to study in Bacolod, she encountered a realization that would quietly shape the heart of her thesis: too many people didn’t even know where Candoni was.
Some didn’t know it existed.
Others heard only whispers of outdated stereotypes—stories tangled in fears of insurgency rather than in the lived beauty and spirit of the place she calls home.
“Growing up in Candoni, I was surrounded by a strong sense of community and the natural beauty of a rural, laid-back town,” Danica shares. “I knew Candoni deserved to be seen—and seen the right way.”
And so she set out to change that narrative.
Her thesis, “Creating Visibility for Candoni: A Municipality Branding Strategy,” isn’t just about tourism or design—it’s about reclaiming the image of a place deeply woven with authenticity, tranquility, and pride.
At the center of her campaign is a simple but powerful message:
“Experience Rural Tranquility.”
Through logos, posters, social media content, merchandise, and even barangay signs and city bus branding, Danica crafted a full-scale, thoughtful brand ecosystem. Every piece—whether a tote bag, a digital ad, or a garbage bin along the town streets—tells a consistent story: Candoni is peaceful, welcoming, and worth discovering.
“I wanted visitors to feel curious, welcomed, and inspired,” Danica explains. “Candoni isn’t a place to rush through—it’s a place to breathe, to experience life at a different pace.”
What makes her work stand out is the way she wove community into every layer. Beyond the visitor experience, her designs are meant to uplift Candonians themselves—offering everyday reminders of pride, identity, and resilience. It’s a campaign that isn’t just for outsiders looking in, but for locals looking around and seeing their home through a lens of dignity and beauty.
“Beyond tourism, I hope it strengthens local pride,” Danica says. “That by seeing their identity and environment thoughtfully represented, Candonians feel a deeper sense of belonging.”
In a world that often overlooks small towns for bigger, flashier destinations, Danica’s work is a quiet but firm declaration: there is power in rural life, in authenticity, in community.
And in shining a light on Candoni, Danica is helping her hometown—and herself—step forward, grounded in the values that have always been there, waiting to be seen.
Because sometimes, the most extraordinary places aren’t the ones shouting the loudest.
Sometimes, they’re the ones rooted in peace, community, and the unwavering belief that their story deserves to be told.