Local creative groups seek Design Center office in Cebu
THE local creative community asked the Design Center of the Philippines (DCP) to set up an office in Cebu to help its creative sector.
Pete Delantar, Cebu, Gift, Toys and Housewares (Cebu GTH) Foundation president, said his group together with the other stakeholders in the industry made the appeal during last month’s consultative meeting conducted by the DCP to discuss the draft Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 10557 or the Philippine Design Competitiveness Act of 2013.
“They were here last month and that is the clamor of the whole Cebu creative community. We really need an office set up so that the delivery of projects will be directly felt by the creative sector here,” Delantar said.
main concern
Delantar said other groups like the Fashion Accessories Manufacturers and Exporters (Fame), Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, members of the Cebu Creative Council, and artists, and musicians presented their main concern of not having access to programs or projects, which are often limited to Manila stakeholders because the DCP office is in Manila.
“The facilitator keeps saying they do this and that in Manila but the problem is that we don’t have direct access to their programs and assistance because they are far from us. That is why we think that an office here will really help,” Delantar said.
inputs valid
Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Asteria Caberte said that all the inputs and suggestions made by the creative sector during the meeting were valid and were already submitted to the central office for the final IRR.
“Definitely the points were noted and we will just be waiting on the final IRR. The law in itself is very helpful for the creative sector especially here in Cebu where we have a lot of people engaged in design and arts,” Caberte said.
Caberte added that the new law can help bridge government assistance to the creative sector. Thus, will help the sector to become globally competitive. /Reporter Aileen Garcia-Yap
