CONFERENCE. Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, the co-author of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, speaks at the “The Future is Creative: A Conference on the Philippine Creative Industries” at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on Thursday (Sept. 28, 2023). The gathering is part of the series of activities nationwide organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to mark the first Philippine Creative Industries Month this September. (Screenshot from NCCA Facebook Live video)
BACOLOD CITY – Legislators and concerned government agencies have reaffirmed support for creative workers and entrepreneurs as the country observes the first Philippine Creative Industries Month (PCIM) this September since the Republic Act (RA) 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA) was signed into law last year.
Gathering for “The Future is Creative: A Conference on the Philippine Creative Industries” at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum here on Thursday, resource speakers led by Negros Occidental Third District Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez, co-author of PCIDA, highlighted the impacts of the sector to nation-building and socio-economic development before hundreds of college and high school students from various schools in the city.
“Long before ‘creative economy’ was invented, Negros Occidental has been the home of artists and artisans, a source of talent, and a bellwether of style and taste. It is, therefore, proper that Negros Occidental is leading the celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries Month in Western Visayas,” Benitez said.
Benitez said PCIDA is about “empowering creative workers and entrepreneurs to enhance quality and efficiency in creative production, and access new markets and charting paths for creative industries to expand and grow.”
Over 70 creative industries were identified under nine inherent domains in RA 11904, including audio-visual media, creative services, cultural sites, design, digital interactive media, performing arts, publishing and printed media, traditional cultural expressions and visual arts.
“Not only our creative industries promote our unique artistic traditions and cultural identity, the growth of our creative industries means new jobs and higher incomes for our creative workers and creative entrepreneurs,” Benitez said.
In 2022 alone, the creative industries contributed PHP1.6 trillion or 7.3 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employed 6.98 million Filipinos, or 14.7 percent of the country’s total employment.
In a message delivered virtually, Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Christopher de Venecia, principal author of PCIDA, said the conference serves as a platform for dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaboration among key stakeholders in the local creative industries.
“PCIM serves as an avenue to promote the creative output of the sector. It is also fitting and proper that we recognize and appreciate the enormous contribution of the creative firms, artists, artisans, creators, workers, indigenous cultural communities, content providers and stakeholders in the creative industries,” he said.
De Venecia added it is important for the country to support and develop its local creatives to thrive and compete on the global stage.
Resource speakers from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) also discussed the role of policy in creative development.
Themed “Celebrating Filipino Creativity, Advancing Creative Philippines,” the conference is part of the series of nationwide activities organized by the DTI, through the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC), and the NCCA to introduce and showcase the nine inherent creative domains while fostering collaboration among local creative communities.
In Bacolod, the NCCA, together with the Negros Cultural Foundation Inc., will also hold creative workshops and an art market dubbed “Perya ng Sining, Bukal ng Galing” at The Negros Museum here on Sept. 30. (PNA)
