The Philippines’ creative economy expanded by 8.7 percent to P1.94 trillion in 2024 from P1.78 trillion in 2023, preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
The sector accounted for 7.3 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) at current prices in 2024, the PSA said.
The creative economy encompasses industries including audio and audiovisual media, digital interactive goods and services, advertising, research and development, media publishing, music, visual arts and traditional cultural expressions.
Symbols and images, and related activities, comprised the largest share of the creative economy, accounting for 33.0 percent, or P640.29 billion, in 2024. Advertising, research and development, and other artistic services, made up 21.4 percent, while digital interactive goods and services accounted for 20.6 percent.
Employment in creative industries rose 3.9 percent to 7.51 million in 2024 from 7.23 million in 2023. The sector’s share of total employment in the country was 15.4 percent in 2024.
Traditional cultural expression activities accounted for the largest share of employment within creative industries, at 36.6 percent. Symbols and images and related activities accounted for 29.5 percent, while advertising, research and development and other artistic services comprised 17.9 percent.
The PSA said the figures are preliminary, based on a pilot study, and the methodology is still being refined.
The agency said it intends to institutionalize the compilation of the Philippine Creative Economy Satellite Account, subject to board approval and government budgetary support.