THE Department of Trade and Industry in Central Visayas (DTI 7) has launched the third batch of its Digital Services Entrepreneurs Advancement Mentorship (Dream) program, a six-week boot camp designed to transform creative professionals and freelancers into thriving digital entrepreneurs.
Held virtually on June 20, 2025, the program welcomed 14 new mentees from across the region—three each from Bohol and Negros Oriental, seven from Cebu and one from Siquijor. The initiative underscores the region’s push to bolster the creative economy through digital skills development, mentorship and business readiness.
First rolled out in 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic disruptions, the Dream program initially focused on supporting digital service providers. In 2024, it pivoted toward creatives—empowering artists, designers, musicians, writers, animators and other freelancers with tools to scale their work as sustainable enterprises.
Backed by DTI 7, innovation hub The Company Cebu, and creative consultancy Dual Story, the DREAM program has graduated 19 mentees to date. Alumni have reported gains in key business metrics—such as Fidel Ricafranca of design studio This Modern Lab, who cited a 30 percent boost in sales and a 20 percent drop in operational costs after completing the program.
This year’s run, which ends July 31, includes modules on entrepreneurial mindset, legal and financial fundamentals, branding, client engagement, and market expansion. DTI 7 said the mentorship structure is calibrated for the specific demands of the creative sector in the digital era.
The program forms part of DTI’s broader innovation agenda and complements the objectives of the Tatak Pinoy Act, which promotes Filipino value-added industries. By fostering entrepreneurial capabilities in creative workers, DTI 7 aims to stimulate inclusive growth and position Central Visayas as a hub for digital creativity. / KOC