The country’s creative economy reached P2.12 trillion, with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) seeking to turn the sector’s growing output into bigger regional exports and digital business opportunities.

The DTI opened the first ASEAN Creative Industries Expo by Malikhaing Pinoy (ASEAN MPEx) on 18 September at the SMX Convention Center Aura in Taguig City, bringing together creative enterprises and stakeholders from ASEAN member states.

DTI Secretary Cristina A. Roque said the creative economy contributed 7.6 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), generating P320 billion in creative goods exports and P427 billion in creative services exports.

Digital interactive goods and services, including game development and animation, account for nearly a fifth of total creative output and are projected to reach $2.6 billion by 2027.

Roque said the proposed Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) could further open regional opportunities by simplifying cross-border digital transactions, data flows and intellectual property protection.

DEFA is targeted for signing at the 49th ASEAN Summit in November and is expected to establish common digital trade rules among ASEAN member states.

“At the heart of any great nation lies its culture and heritage, and under the Malikhaing Pinoy initiative, our creative industries generate a cultural ‘currency’ that draws the world to our shores. As we lead ASEAN in 2026, we are turning local creative talent into a regional export powerhouse. And with DEFA, we provide a single, streamlined set of rules to access regional markets, secure digital payments, and protect intellectual property—solidifying the Philippines’ position as Asia’s Premier Creative Hub by 2030,” Roque said.

The DTI is also advancing a proposal for an ASEAN Center of Excellence for Creative Industries, which would be hosted in the Philippines and focus on policy research, capacity building and market development.

ASEAN MPEx features nine creative domains, including audiovisual media, creative services, digital interactive media, design, performing arts, publishing, traditional cultural expressions and visual arts.