In a significant move to bolster the local creative economy, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao City has forged a strategic partnership with the city's local government through its newly established Office of Culture, Arts, and Heritage (OCAH).
A Formal Alliance for Creative Empowerment
Joffreylle Opiano Plasabas, a senior trade industry development specialist at DTI-Davao, emphasized that this collaboration is a direct response to their mandate under the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act (PCIDA). The core mission is to assist creative players in transitioning into the formal economy by facilitating business registration, which in turn enables the DTI to provide tangible support for market access.
"This year, we finally have a counterpart office for creative industries development, the Office of Culture, Arts and Heritage. With that, we intend to further expand the assistance we provide," Plasabas stated. The partnership aims to help artists and creative talents navigate and access relevant programs outlined in the PCIDA law.
Bridging the Gap Between Artists and Government
Oscar Casaysay, the head of OCAH, explained that his office will play a crucial role in gathering and consolidating the city's diverse creative community. He acknowledged that when the DTI's Lungsod Lunsad program began years ago, there was no dedicated local agency to sustain the effort, leaving the law's vision unclear to many artists and cultural workers.
"With the partnership, there is now clearer guidance on the ground," Casaysay said. "We were able to explain to every artist in visual arts, digital arts, filmmaking, and arts and crafts that they can earn from their work through the help of this law."
He candidly shared that initial skepticism was high among creatives, who were wary of government initiatives that might start strong but fade away. Casaysay reassured them, stating, "I told them with this office, let’s give it a chance, let’s help each other." He added that the city government under Mayor Sebastian Duterte is committed to pushing forward with programs to assist the creative sector.
Summit Marks a New Chapter for Davao Creatives
The partnership's momentum was showcased during the first-ever Davao City Arts and Culture Summit held on September 26 at the Holy Cross of Davao College. The event, celebrating Philippine Creative Industries Month, was organized by OCAH, DTI, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Alsons Development and Investment Corporation, and the Conrado Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation, Inc. (CLAFI).
The summit gathered approximately 200 artists, serving as a vital platform for dialogue and collaboration to shape the future direction of culture, arts, and heritage in Davao City. This gathering underscored the rich pool of creative talent in Davao and the promising economic potential of their outputs, as previously identified through the Lungsod Lunsad program.
The alliance between DTI and OCAH marks a structured, long-term approach to transforming Davao's vibrant but often informal creative scene into a robust, recognized, and sustainable economic pillar for the city.
