Date: 07 March 2008
Time: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Venue: Bancom Room, Asian Institute of Management
First Creative Industries Consultation-Workshop
Recognizing the country’s comparative advantage over many countries in the world in terms of creative assets, the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) convened the first consultative workshop on 7 March 2008 at the Bancom Room of the AIM to gather stakeholders’ views on whether there is a need for a Philippine definition of Creative Industries. This workshop arose from the AIM Policy Center’s realization that the real contribution of Creative Industries to the country’s GDP growth cannot be accurately measured unless there is a clear identification of what sectors of the economy constitute Creative Industries.
Mr. Nestor Jardin, President of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, presented the United Kingdom’s (UK) definition of Creative Industries as a starting point against which he compared other existing definitions. The UK defines Creative Industries as those industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent that have a potential for wealth and job creation through generation and exploitation of intellectual property rights. Mr. Jardin pointed out that although there are slight variations in existing definitions, one can easily extract key elements that are common to all definitions of Creative Industries.
Mr. Andrew Picken, Director of the British Council Manila, talked about the UK experience in mainstreaming and championing Creative Industries. Mr. Picken underscored how this industry has grown to become the fastest growing sector of the UK economy, posting a significant 7.3 percent contribution to its GDP and employing at least 1.8 million of its people. He likewise agreed to the AIM Policy Center’s view that any effort to mainstream Creative Industries should begin with Creative Industries mapping.
Atty. Louie Andrew C. Calvario, Chief of Copyright Support Services of Intellectual Property (IP), noted the importance of value extraction or intellectual assets by quoting Kamil Idris, WIPO Director General, who said that intellectual property is a powerful driver of economic growth in the 21st Century. In line with the Philippines’ constitutional guarantee to protect and secure the exclusive rights of the country’s scientists, inventors, artists and other gifted citizens to their intellectual property creations (Art. XIV, Sec. 3, Philippine Constitution), Atty. Calvario talked about an ongoing attempt to measure the IP-based creative sectors’ contribution to the Philippine economy.
Mr. Bernie Justimbaste, Director of Policy and Planning of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), argued that packaging creativity should always encompass innovation.
Ms. Rhea Matute, Assistant Director of the Center for International Trade and Expositions and Missions (CITEM), discussed public sector efforts in recognizing the potential of creativity and championing its application in strategy formulation. She enumerated relevant initiatives such as the inclusion of the Creative Economy in the PEDP 2005-2007, the creation of Creative Industry Task Force and projects spearheaded by CITEM focusing on value creation or intellectual capital (i.e. e-Services, Manila FAME, and IFEX).
In addition, Engr. Jocelyn L.B. Blanco, Regional Director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), demonstrated how the One Town One Product or OTOP program has served as a vehicle for promoting creative industries in selected towns and cities. The OTOP provides each locality an opportunity to identify, develop, and promote its own product and services with the assistance of government offices and private sectors.
Both DTI officials confirmed, however, that there remains to be no overarching strategy for the promotion of Creative Industries as far as the Philippines is concerned.
Mr. Ronald Rodriguez, Global Competitiveness Program Manager of the AIM Policy Center, summed up the discussions and concluded that there appears to be no need for a Philippine definition of Creative Industries. What is required of the ongoing consultation-workshop is to come up with a clear-cut clustering of sectors that form part of the Creative Industries in the Philippines. He then encouraged the stakeholders to put forward their proposals before the next round of the consultation-workshop in April. The Creative Industries Initiative, formerly Creative Business Council, will host the next roundtable discussion.
The OTOP Experience (.pdf)
Engr. Jocelyn L.B. Blanco
Regional Director, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
The Creative Economy Nurturing a Philippine Agenda (.pdf)
Ms. Rhea Matute
Assistant Director, Center for International Trade and Expositions and Missions (CITEM)
Global Creative Industries-The UK Perspective (.pdf)
Mr. Andrew Picken
Director, British Council Manila
The Creative Industry.pdf (.pdf)
Mr. Nestor Jardin
President, Cultural Center of the Philippines
Quantifying the Economic Value of Creative Industries in the Philippines (.pdf)
Atty. Louie Andrew C. Calvario
Chief, Copyright Support Services of Intellectual Property (IP)