MANILA — Filipino creatives, entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) stand to gain stronger government support, wider market access and better tools to protect and monetize their work following the launch of the Philippine Creative Ecosystem National Diagnostic Report.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) unveiled the report on June 9 at Fairmont Makati.
The report provides a data-driven assessment of the country's creative ecosystem, identifying growth opportunities and structural gaps that policymakers can address to strengthen the sector.
The initiative marks a major milestone for the Philippines, which became the first country to pilot WIPO's Creative Economy Data Model framework. The project established a baseline for measuring the creative sector's contribution to economic growth.
According to PSA data, the creative economy contributes about 8 percent of the country's gross domestic product. It accounts for roughly 18 percent of total employment, meaning nearly one in five Filipino workers is engaged in creative work.
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said the findings will help the government create policies that elevate Filipino talent, strengthen digital intellectual property protection and encourage the shift from low-cost outsourcing to high-value original content.
"Our goal is to create more opportunities for Filipino creators to grow sustainable businesses and compete in the global market," Roque said.
WIPO Deputy Director General Sylvie Forbin praised the Philippines for helping shape the framework, noting that the country served not only as the first pilot nation but also as a co-developer of the methodology.
The report supports Republic Act No. 11904, or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, and complements government programs such as Malikhaing Pinoy.
Officials said the findings will help close data gaps, guide reforms, support the growth of creative MSMEs and encourage greater intellectual property creation across the country.
WIPO senior manager Felipe Buitrago and associate data analyst Kubra Karatas presented the report's findings, while DTI Deputy Executive Director Paolo Federico Ramos, PSA Assistant National Statistician Mark Pascasio and IPOPHL Director General Teodoro Pascua highlighted the role of intellectual property in strengthening local creative industries.
IPOPHL deputy director General Ann Claire Cabochan said the report ushers in a more evidence-based approach to policymaking, giving government agencies and development partners a clearer roadmap for supporting Filipino creators and building a more competitive creative economy. PR
