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ASEAN-KOREA

Cultural & Creative Sectors Research

Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC)

The Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC) represents a landmark institutional framework established under Republic Act No. 11904 (Philippine Creative Industries Development Act) enacted on July 28, 2022. As the Philippines pursues its ambitious vision to become Asia's Premier Creative Hub by 2030, the PCIDC serves as the primary coordinating mechanism for creative industries policy, development, and implementation at the national level.


  • The PCIDC operates as a 19-member public-private partnership council under DTI leadership

  • Creative industries contributed 1.72 trillion (7.1% of GDP) in 2023, demonstrating significant economic impact

  • The framework addresses over 70 creative sectors across nine creative domains

  • Strategic alignment with regional ASEAN creative economy initiatives positions the Philippines as a regional leader


Legal and Institutional Framework

The Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA) was enacted on July 28, 2022, establishing state policy to promote and support the development of Philippine creative industries by protecting and strengthening the rights and capacities of creative firms, artists, artisans, creators, workers, indigenous cultural communities, content providers, and stakeholders.

The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) were issued on November 11, 2022, providing operational guidelines for the Act's implementation and establishing clear procedures for the PCIDC's functions.

The State established a creative industries development council mandated to implement a long-term plan for the development and promotion of the Philippine creative industries, with programs aimed at creating opportunities and employment, nurturing human resources, ensuring financial-enabling mechanisms, and providing incentives to encourage and sustain Filipino excellence in the creative industries.


Organizational Structure and Governance

The PCIDC is a 19-member council composed of 10 ex officio members and nine regular members from the private sector representing the nine creative domains.


Government Members :

The 10 ex officio members include: (1) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as Chairperson, (2) Department of Education (DepEd), (3) Department of Tourism (DOT), (4) Commission on Higher Education (CHED), (5) National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), (6) Department of Science and Technology (DOST), (7) National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), (8) Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), (9) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and (10) Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL).



Private Sector Representation:

The Council is seeking nine industry leaders, each representing a distinct creative domain, with professionals who have dedicated a decade or more to their specific creative industry domain. As of February 2024, the PCIDC endorsed nominees for five domains: Creative Services, Design, Publishing and Printed Media, Performing Arts, and Audiovisual Media, with extension periods for Cultural Sites, Digital Interactive Media, Traditional Cultural Expressions, and Visual Arts.

Chairperson: DTI Secretary Fred Pascual chairs the PCIDC Secretariat: The Department of Trade and Industry – Creative Industries Development Office (CIDO) serves as the interim Secretariat Program Management: Supervising Undersecretary Rafaelita M. Aldaba leads the Creative Industries Development Program Management Unit (CID-PMU)

The Act establishes a Creative Workers' Welfare Committee as a standing committee of the Council, ensuring that creative freelancers and creative workers have access to sustainable and dignified work in the creative industries.


Creative Industries Taxonomy and Scope

The PCIDA defines creative industries as trades involving persons that produce cultural, artistic, and innovative goods and services originating in human creativity, skill, and talent, and having potential to create wealth and livelihood through the generation and utilization of intellectual property.

The creative industries include: (a) Audiovisual Media Domain - recorded and live audio and audiovisual content including films, television content, animated productions, vlogs, music, and educational content; (b) Digital Interactive Media Domain - digital software programs, mobile applications and games for interactive digital devices, along with seven additional domains covering the complete spectrum of creative activities.


Strategic Development Framework

The PCIDC approved the framework for the Philippine Creative Industries Development Plan (PCIDP) in its third regular meeting on February 21, 2024. The PCIDP serves as the strategic roadmap guiding the objectives set by the PCIDA, setting forth goals, targets, and strategies to achieve the vision of becoming Asia's Premier Creative Hub by 2030.

The Philippines operates under the Five-Pillar B.E.A.M.S. Framework designed to address current concerns and leverage opportunities within the more than 70 creative sectors. These Pillars include: Build creative ecosystems (Pillar 1); Empower creative workforce (Pillar 2); Accelerate inclusive innovation (Pillar 3); Mobilize financing support (Pillar 4); and Seize market opportunities (Pillar 5).

The vision is to be Asia's Premiere Creative Hub by 2030, making the Philippines the regional epicenter for talent, investment, and innovation by building a robust creative ecosystem, driving growth, building talent, and developing vibrant and sustainable creative industries.


Key Programs and Initiatives

Malikhaing Pinoy is the holistic approach to addressing the constraints and barriers of the creative industries. It is a flagship initiative well-informed by various sector-specific industry studies and roadmaps carried out by the DTI. This MOU forms part of the Malikhaing Pinoy Program, a flagship initiative by the Philippine government being implemented by the DTI and as the Chair of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, aimed at elevating Filipino creativity and advancing creative agenda, spotlighting Filipino talent, cultural heritage, and ingenuity.



The celebration of "Philippine Creative Industries Month" is held for the whole month of September every year to promote the goods, products, and services of the Philippine creative industries, and to raise awareness on their role in nation-building and socioeconomic advancement.


The DTI hosts the Malikhaing Pinoy Expo (MPEx) 2025 from September 3-7 at SMX Convention Center, SM Aura, featuring immersive and interactive experiences through pavilions, exhibits, workshops, keynote and panel discussions, and performances that showcase Filipino creativity across nine creative domains.


The Secretariat develops and maintains a website that serves as the primary source of information on statistics, events, government programs, and benefits for Philippine creative industries, integrating existing websites and content on programs implemented by the government for all creative industry domains.


Economic Impact and Performance Metrics

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that the creative industries' contribution in 2023 is 1.72 trillion which accounted for 7.1% of the gross domestic product of the country. With the creative industries bolstering the GDP by 1.60 trillion in 2022, demonstrating consistent growth trajectory.

The framework addresses current concerns and leverages opportunities within more than 70 creative sectors across the nine creative domains.


Support Mechanisms and Infrastructure

Government-owned, -controlled, or -supported financial institutions prioritize creative industries in providing credit assistance and guarantee schemes, subject to the rules and regulations of the concerned financial institutions.

Entities from the creative industries may avail of infrastructure support from the Department of Trade and Industry and infrastructure support programs under Republic Act No. 11293 (Philippine Innovation Act), as well as research and development support program of the Department of Science and Technology. Technical and financial assistance programs are provided to Filipino entities that endeavor to create digital content distribution platforms and other digital innovations benefitting the creative industries.

The Council provides training, capacity-building, and support to stakeholders in areas such as business development, financial literacy, ethics, digital skills, taxation, design thinking, contracts, negotiations, and entrepreneurship, in partnership with the private sector.

The Philippine Creative Industries Development Council represents a sophisticated institutional response to the creative economy's growing importance in national development. Its comprehensive framework, ambitious 2030 vision, and strong governmental commitment position the Philippines as a potential leader in ASEAN's creative economy landscape.


For regional cooperation initiatives, the PCIDC model offers valuable insights into effective creative industries governance, demonstrating how legislative frameworks can be translated into operational development programs. The Council's multi-stakeholder approach and focus on both traditional cultural expressions and digital innovation provides a balanced model that could inform similar initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region.


The success of the PCIDC will likely depend on effective completion of its governance structure, sustained political commitment, and ability to demonstrate measurable economic impacts that justify continued investment in the creative economy as a development priority.

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