If you're engaged in graphic design, animation, digital publishing, or any economic activity driven by creativity, then you're part of the fast-growing digital economy worth P1.6 trillion in the Philippines.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country's creative economy expanded by 12.1% to P1.6 trillion in 2022 from P1.43 trillion in 2021. It contributes 7.3% to the gross domestic product (GDP).
Almost 7 million people were employed in this sector in 2022, a 10.5% increase from 6.32 million in 2021, preliminary results of a PSA pilot study on the sector showed.
As defined by the PSA, the creative economy includes:
Audio and audiovisual media activities
Digital interactive goods and services
Advertising, research and development, and other artistic service activities
Symbols and images and other related activities
Media publishing and printing activities
Music, arts and entertainment activities
Visual arts activities
Traditional cultural expression activities
Art galleries, museums, ballrooms, conventions and trade shows, and related activities
Of these industries, the symbols and images cluster contributed the biggest share of 32.9%, or P528.35 billion, to the total creative economy in 2022, the PSA said,
Advertising, research and development, and other artistic service activities contributed 20.8%, while digital interactive goods and services accounted for 20.3%.
The Philippines aims to become the No. 1 creative economy in terms of size and value among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members by 2030.
Under the roadmap drafted by the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines, five sectors will be prioritized: advertising, film, animation, game development, and graphic and digital design. (MVI/Ventures Cebu)