The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects the creative sector to contribute more than P2 trillion to the economy this year, Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said over the weekend.
The sector generated P1.99 trillion in 2024, and the DTI aims to build on this momentum with increased government support and global visibility.
“That’s really the goal. We need to really push the industry, the exports,” Roque said on the sidelines of the five-day Malikhaing Pinoy Creative Expo (MPEx), which concluded on Sunday.
The DTI has identified gaming and anime as key growth drivers, alongside traditional segments like fashion, design, and the performing arts. Roque noted that Filipino animators are securing contracts abroad, though their contributions are often overlooked.
“Sometimes we look at the creative sector always as dancing, singing, and fashion. But actually, we have in the digital space also,” she said.
Roque said the government is finalizing incentive packages to accelerate investments in the industry.
The MPEx, held in celebration of Philippine Creative Industries Month, was the first event to bring together all nine creative domains: audiovisual media, visual arts, digital interactive media, design, performing arts, publishing, traditional cultural expressions, creative services and cultural sites.
“The DTI will continue to provide our artists and creators with the necessary infrastructure and support, like this Malikhaing Pinoy Creative Expo, until Filipino talent gains the global recognition it truly deserves,” Roque said.
The expo featured works in painting, sculpture, comics, animation and publishing. It also hosted “Malikhaing Pinoy Chats” for professionals and policymakers, and a “Creative Matchmaking for Filipino Games” pitch session where indie and student developers presented their projects to investors.
Prominent exhibitors included the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the Game Developers Association of the Philippines, the Design Center of the Philippines, the Philippine Fashion Coalition, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.MPEx is a flagship initiative of the Malikhaing Pinoy Program, led by the DTI through the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council secretariat.
 is banking on the Philippines' creative sector to contribute over 2 trillion pesos to the economy this year, driven by growth in gaming and anime.){kind=link}