Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus, a Filipino graphic designer and creative professional based in Dubai, has built a career in graphic design, branding, production, digital media, and creative direction after studying computer programming in the Philippines.
His career journey reflects a transition from a technical academic background to a creative profession, shaped by persistence, self learning, professional experience and a decision to start again in Dubai.
Starting Again in Dubai and Building a Creative Career
Bacus studied Computer Programming in the Philippines before discovering his interest in design. Although his educational background was more technical than creative, he gradually developed his design skills through experience, experimentation and self learning.
His experience eventually covered graphic design, branding, printing, digital media and visual communication.
In 2017, Bacus came to Dubai and decided to stay to build a new life and career. He did not arrive with a strong portfolio, established industry connections or a clear career path. To compete in Dubai’s creative industry, he focused on improving his skills and preparing himself for new opportunities.
Self learning became an important part of this process. Bacus spent time watching tutorials, studying other designers’ work, practising creative software and experimenting with different styles and techniques. He describes YouTube as one of his classrooms during this stage of his career.
His first professional opportunity in Dubai was as a Graphic Designer for a corporate gifts company. The role gave him practical experience in the UAE’s design and production industry. He later moved deeper into production, spending around two years learning how designs move from a computer screen into printed and physical products.
This production experience helped him understand that design involves more than creating something visually attractive. He learned about materials, dimensions, printing limitations, production requirements, deadlines and how creative concepts work in the real world.
Bacus later worked as a Graphic Designer in a cafe and restaurant environment in Dubai Design District. There, he gained further experience in branding, marketing materials and visual communication. His career eventually moved into marketing and advertising, where he worked on increasingly complex creative projects and took on more senior creative responsibilities.
From Graphic Design to Creative Direction
Over the years, Bacus expanded his work beyond traditional graphic design. His experience now includes branding, brand identity, packaging, social media design, UI UX design, website design, motion graphics, video editing, digital campaigns, 3D and product visualisation, as well as creative direction.
Continuous learning has remained a key part of his approach to the creative industry. Bacus continues to explore new tools and emerging technologies, experiment with artificial intelligence, improve his digital and UI UX skills, and find new ways to combine creativity with technology.
For Bacus, being a designer is not simply about knowing how to use Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma or other creative software. He views design as a way to solve problems visually and turn ideas into something people can understand, experience, and remember.
His experience as an overseas Filipino worker has also influenced how he views professional growth. Working abroad has taught him independence, patience, adaptability and responsibility while building a life away from where he started.
Today, Bacus continues to build his career as a creative professional in Dubai, working across different areas of design and digital creativity. His experience has taken him from studying Computer Programming in the Philippines to developing skills across multiple areas of the creative industry in the UAE.
He hopes his journey encourages younger designers and other overseas Filipinos who may feel they are starting from nothing. His message is that people do not need to know everything or have the perfect portfolio at the beginning. Instead, they can start, learn, improve and continue moving forward.
For Bacus, the journey from Computer Programming to creative direction has not happened instantly. It has been built through continuous learning, professional experience, projects and opportunities, one step at a time.
Media Contact
- Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus, Graphic Designer
- Email: designer@cilmarbacus.com
- Website: cilmarbacus.com
