Filipino content creators are set to receive stronger support in protecting their original works, improving content quality, accessing new markets, and turning creativity into a sustainable livelihood following a landmark partnership between the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Creative Content Creators Association of the Philippines, Inc. (SIKAP).
The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed recently. Under this agreement, the DTI—represented by the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council Secretariat (PCIDCS) within the Competitiveness and Innovation Group (CIG)—will work alongside SIKAP to fortify the local content sector.
The initiative prioritizes intellectual property awareness and the development of original Filipino content, aiming to transform creative talent into sustainable livelihoods for both emerging and established artists.
Central to this partnership is the professionalization of the creative sector. By establishing higher quality standards and improving the global competitiveness of local outputs, the DTI and SIKAP aim to fulfill the mandates of Republic Act No. 11904, also known as the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act. These efforts are integrated into the DTI’s flagship “Malikhaing Pinoy” program, which seeks to build a robust ecosystem for the nation’s creative economy.
During the signing, CIG Supervising Head and Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista highlighted the necessity of institutional ties.
“Through this partnership with SIKAP, we affirm our commitment to a collaboration that is practical, responsive, and proactive.”
“Through this partnership with SIKAP, we affirm our commitment to a collaboration that is practical, responsive, and proactive. We recognize the importance of programs that strengthen creative entrepreneurship, connect creators to markets and networks, encourage innovation, and provide pathways for sustainable growth,” Bautista noted.
For SIKAP, the MOU represents a significant shift toward the formal recognition of Filipino-made intellectual property.
“This partnership serves as a vital acknowledgment that original Filipino content and intellectual property deserve a prominent seat at the table of the national creative agenda.”
SIKAP president Marla de Castro Rausch remarked, “This agreement provides a formal foundation for our shared goals. For our organization, this partnership serves as a vital acknowledgment that original Filipino content and intellectual property deserve a prominent seat at the table of the national creative agenda.”
The signing ceremony featured key industry leaders and government officials, including Bautista, PCIDC Secretariat Deputy Executive Director Paolo Federico Ramos, SIKAP president Rausch, vice president Micah Fernandez, and executive director Rene Misa.
This strategic alliance forms part of the broader initiatives under the Malikhaing Pinoy program aimed at strengthening the Philippine creative industries ecosystem.
