BOI to creative sector reps: How can gov’t help?

MEMBERS of the Creative Cebu Council (CCC) are encouraged to write a position paper on how the government can best support the industry.

Gerry Sta. Ana made this call at the sidelines of yesterday’s public consultation for the proposed Investments Priority Plan (IPP) for 2013 at the Sarrosa International Hotel Cebu.

Sta. Ana said that most of the investments here in Cebu were in tourism, outsourcing and mass housing projects.

“Investments in the creative industry specifically related to film, music and art in the country, despite being already popular in the world, remains very minimal. We therefore will be very open to give our support,” Sta. Ana said.

During the discussion of the preferred investments list at the forum, Ian Zafra, who is committee chairperson for music under CCC, asked the Board of Investment (BOI) officials if they would be open for a partnership with them to help push the industry, which had been seen as a fast-growing yet underdeveloped industry in the country.

According to Zafra, the creative industry is beyond the knowledge-base services which BOI has defined on the list.

According to Zafra, the creative industry is beyond the knowledge-base services which BOI has defined on the list.

Based on the BOI list, creative industry “covers non-voice business processing operations, creative and knowledge-based services. Non-voice business process operations include the undertaking of outsourced services such as administrative and business services, transcription services, engineering and architectural services. Also services with original content such as but not limited to software development, animation, engineering and architectural design, product design, game and applications development and software development.”

BOI Governor Oliver Butalid said the BOI recognized the industry as a fast growing one but it would need to be further developed.

Butalid said this was the reason the industry was listed second to agriculture in the proposed preferred investment list.

Butalid, however, recognized the industry as fast growing and needs to be further developed that is why it is listed second in the preferred list after agriculture.

“We are willing to give any support we can to help the industry. We can act as advocator and catalyst,” Butalid assured the CCC representatives.

Sta. Ana agreed. He said that the investments in the creative sector had been very minimal causing the BOI to scrap the film and music category under the creative industry list in 2012.

The Department of Trade Industries (DTI) and Intellectual Property Office (IPO) should also be taken in to help the industry especially here in Cebu which is known to have many creative people.

Last year, Central Visayas had P46.81 billion worth of investments approved under BOI which is 13 percent of the country’s P360.35 billion.

The proposed 2013 IPP still has the same listing as the 2012 IPP except for the new land mass transport that covers alternative fuel vehicle buses under the infrastructure list.

The final IIP 2013 is expected to be released sometime middle of this year after they make revisions or improvements based on comments and suggestions from individuals.

“We will be considering your position papers until March 20 before we finalize the plan,” Sta. Ana said.