Ample budget sought for creative sector’s devt under new law

ALLOTTING significant funding in the 2022 budget for the timely implementation of the newly enacted Creative Industries Development Act will allow the Philippines to cash in on the rich diversity of its creative talent, which are widely regarded as globally competitive.

“The passage of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, while a watershed moment in our creative history, is our country playing catch-up to a creative future that is being enjoyed as a creative present by many of our neighbors in ASEAN and around the globe … We are finally investing in Filipino talent that we have long taken for granted or left to their own devices,” Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher De Venecia said during the Creative Futures 2022 digital conference.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a statement on Thursday that De Venecia hopes the Creative Industries Development Act or Republic Act 11904 will be prioritized for immediate implementation and shall receive significant funding in the 2023 budget following President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address on July 25.

Among the objectives De Venecia highlighted is forging a wellarticulated education system that fosters creativity and innovation. According to the lawmaker, this can be achieved by building closer links between the academe and industry to avoid job-skills mismatch, supporting creative educators, and incentivizing academic institutions.

For his part, DTI Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda, Officer-incharge for DTI’S Trade Promotions Group (TPG), underlined the economic potential of the Philippine creative industries.

Peñaranda highlighted opportunities for the creative sector as freelancing becomes mainstream. Citing the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP), Peñaranda said there are approximately 2 to 3 million creative freelancers working locally, while 1.5 million creatives handle international projects.

“While the Philippines is considered to be the top exporter of creative services in the ASEAN region, our total creative exports only amount to 2 percent market share in Asia-pacific. This presents ample room for growth and an opportunity for us to invest especially in Ip-based creative goods and services,” Peñaranda said.

Meanwhile, firms such as Shootph, Newzoo and Acadarena illustrated the status of respective creative sectors that they are associated with.

For Shootph founders Steve Vesagas, Christ Thorp, and Steven Marolho, the current advertising landscape underscores the potential of the Philippines to compete against market leaders such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

According to Marolho, foreign film production revenues from short-form content alone reached $40 million in Thailand.

Thorp, for his part, noted, “The Philippines is already well-placed to support and service the growth of remote production, especially with the ease of communications in English.”

He added that with access to bigger international projects, the Philippine crews will grow their skillset and the overall platform will be enhanced, positioning it as a “production hub go-to.”

The two-day online conference recognized some of the largest creative sectors in the country such as film, game development, and esports. The event also recognized creative segments with the potential to grow with necessary institutional support, such as type design.