Filipino creatives, creative enterprises, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will receive targeted government support, stronger market access, and better pathways to protect and commercialize their original work following the launch of the Philippine Creative Ecosystem National Diagnostic Report on June 9, 2026, at the Fairmont Makati.
The landmark report—jointly launched by 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 (WIPO)—provides a rigorous data-driven assessment of the country’s creative ecosystem. It identifies key opportunities and structural gaps to guide future policies and programs for the sector’s continued growth.
Notably, the initiative serves as a primary output of the Creative Economy Data Model (CEDM) Pilot Project. This milestone makes the Philippines the first country in the world to pilot WIPO’s framework to establish an empirical baseline for measuring the sector’s contribution to national growth. Recent data from the PSA’s Philippine Creative Economy Satellite Account underscores the industry’s massive economic footprint, revealing that the creative sector already contributes approximately 8% to the national GDP and accounts for roughly 18% of national employment; or one out of five workers in the Philippines is actively engaged in creative occupation.
Trade and Industry Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque emphasized that the report provides a data-driven plan to elevate Filipino talent. Under this framework, the DTI will focus on strengthening digital intellectual property protection and shifting from low-cost outsourcing to high-value, original creations. The agency aims to use these insights to give local creators better market opportunities so they can grow sustainably and compete globally.
Echoing this sentiment, WIPO Deputy Director General Sylvie Forbin lauded the partnership and highlighted the country’s proactive participation. She noted that the Philippines served as both the first pilot country and a co-creator of the methodology, making it a valued partner in advancing the global understanding of the creative economy.
The initiative directly operationalizes Republic Act No. 11904, or the “Philippine Creative Industries Development Act,” and seamlessly complements flagship national programs such as the DTI’s Malikhaing Pinoy. By effectively bridging critical data gaps across institutional silos, the report empowers the government to guide structural reforms, scale creative MSMEs, and supercharge intellectual property (IP) generation.
The comprehensive findings and international framework were presented by WIPO senior manager Felipe Buitrago and associate data analyst Kubra Karatas. This was complemented by localized briefings from DTI Deputy Executive Director Paolo Federico A. Ramos, PSA Assistant National Statistician Mark Pascasio, and IPOPHL Director General Teodoro C. Pascua, who underscored the critical role of intellectual property in reinforcing local creative value chains.
IPOPHL Deputy Director General Ann Claire C. Cabochan emphasized that the report officially ushers in an evidence-based era where empirical data will actively guide national policy. Armed with this strategic roadmap, the Philippine government and its development partners are now uniquely positioned to design programs and policies that respond to the needs of local creators, ultimately building a more competitive, innovative, and globally recognized Philippine creative economy.
