Photo courtesy of PNA
The Cordillera’s creative sector is being positioned as a new source of jobs, investment and market growth as government support expands beyond traditional crafts into digital and design-driven industries.
DTI-Cordillera Assistant Director Samuel Gallardo said the country’s creative economy is valued at about Php 2.12 trillion, equivalent to roughly 7.6 percent of gross domestic product, while supporting around 8 million jobs.
The sector covers a wide range of activities, including animation, gaming, advertising, architecture, design, publishing, audiovisual work, performing arts and traditional cultural expressions.
Gallardo said the government is refining how it measures the sector’s economic contribution, especially for creative businesses whose jobs, income and investments may not fit neatly within conventional micro, small and medium enterprise categories.
The DTI is also moving to treat creative industries as a formal industry cluster in the Cordillera, alongside coffee, cacao, bamboo, processed food, nuts, wearables and homestyle products.
He said better coordination among cities and provinces could help local creatives collaborate, build stronger brands and reach broader domestic and international markets.
Baguio Creative Council president Venus Tan said the city’s recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art has also helped frame creativity as an economic asset, with its impact tracked through employment, livelihoods and poverty reduction.
The broader push is anchored on Republic Act No. 11904, or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, which created a national framework for developing nine creative domains and expanding their contribution to the economy through 2030.