DTI Promotes PH Creative Economy at WCCE 2022 in Bali, Indonesia

The Philippines led by House of Representatives Special Committee for Creative Industry and Performing Arts Chair, Rep. Christopher “Toff” De Venecia participated in the Third Edition of the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE 2022), with the theme “Inclusively Creative: A Global Recovery” held in Bali, Indonesia on 5-7 October 2022. The Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Jakarta headed by Commercial Attaché and Economic Official to ASEAN Jeremiah C. Reyes, together with Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) Creative Department head Ms. Marjo F. Evio joined the Philippine delegation.

The country’s participation in the WCCE 2022 Expo is a show of support to further promote the Philippines as a source destination of creative goods and services on the creative industry sector through forging strategic linkages with creative economy players across the region. Rep. De Venecia served as one of the speakers at the panel session on public-private partnership where he highlighted the importance of public-private sector collaboration in promoting creative economy in the Philippines, including the creation of the Philippine Creative Cities Network and the enactment of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act. He emphasized the need for more state-to-state collaboration on creative economy which is evident in the recently signed Philippines-Indonesia MOU on Creative Economy - a pioneering agreement that could serve as a model with other countries. Rep. De Venecia then proposed the creation of a dedicated ASEAN working group on creative economy.

The Philippines held a bilateral meeting with Minister Sandiago Uno, Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism and Creative Economy where both sides discussed the implementation of the PH-Indonesia MOU on Creative Economy signed during the State Visit of President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. in early September 2022 providing an opportunity for both sides to discuss possible areas of collaboration and exchange of best practices on creative economy.

According to the Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP), about 2 to 3 million Filipino creative freelancers work locally, while 1.5 million Filipino creatives handle international projects. Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda, Officer-in-Charge for DTI’s Trade Promotions Group (TPG), said that while the Philippines is the top exporter of creative services in the ASEAN region, the country’s total creative exports only amount to 2% of the market share in Asia-Pacific which presents both ample room for growth and an opportunity for the Philippines to invest especially in creative goods and services.

The WCCE 2022 finalized a non-binding Bali Creative Economy Roadmap 2022 that contains action points that countries may wish to implement and include in their respective economic development agenda. Uzbekistan will host the next WCCE in 2023.

PH to Bridge Trade Gap with Indonesia Through Agri, Auto Parts Exports

BANGKOK – The Philippines (PH) is working to bridge its trade gap with Indonesia by exporting more agricultural products and automobile parts. At the sidelines of the 34th ASEAN Summit on 21-24 June, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez discussed trade opportunities with his Indonesian counterpart, Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita. The two ministers also agreed to organize a business matching session in Indonesia possibly around August or September 2019.

“President Rodrigo Duterte is pushing for the Philippines to narrow its trade imbalance with Indonesia. Thus we hope that openness from both countries will result in a mutually beneficial trade relationship between the two countries,” said Secretary Lopez. 

In 2018, Indonesia was the PH's 9th major trading partner, with around US$7.27 billion in trade. However, PH imports from Indonesia stood at US$6.40 billion, while PH exports were only at US$866.20 million.

Indonesian company PT Mayora reported that it started importing desiccated coconuts from PH since April 2019. Indonesia is also more willing to import shallots, bananas, and alcoholic beverages from PH.

Secretary Lopez noted that Toyota Fortuner, manufactured in Indonesia, is one of the top vehicle imports of PH. Hence he proposed for Indonesia to source some of its automobile parts from PH to manufacture the said vehicle. One of the long-term plans to increase PH exports was for Indonesia to import Mitsubishi Mirage G4 and Toyota Vios when PH becomes the regional production hub for these vehicles.

Likewise, they discussed the Special Safeguards (SSG) on PH coffee imports, issued through Department Order No. 6 by the Department of Agriculture in March 2018. The measure was set because the price of Indonesian coffee brand Kopiko is below the PH’s trigger price of PHP203.74 per kilo.  

The lower import price has led to higher imports affecting Filipino coffee manufacturers. Secretary Lopez said that PH appreciates Indonesia’s show of good faith and efforts to enhance trade relations, as well as Kopiko’s commitment to put up a coffee processing plant in PH. These, he said, will be positively considered in reviewing the SSG on coffee.

DTI Promotes Digital Economy at the 1st TNK Lecture Series in Indonesia

(left to right) Commercial Attaché Jeremiah C. Reyes, PTIC-Jakarta, Ms. Thelma Victorio, Incoming President of PWA Indonesia, Ms. Marvie Rances Samala, Senior Vice President, Blibli.com, Ms. April Cabello, TRANSDIGITAL, Ms. Stella Arungayan, Outgoing President of PWA Indonesia, and Vice Consul Jacqueline Arquiza, Philippine Embassy in Indonesia.

JAKARTA - The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Jakarta (PTIC-Jakarta) conducted its first Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan (TNK) Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World on 16 March 2019 at the Embassy of the Philippines in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Attended by more than seventy (70) would-be entrepreneurs, the TNK Lecture Series is part of the year-long events for the commemoration of the 70th year of Philippines-Indonesia bilateral relations. The TNK Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World is the first for the year, which tackled opportunities and promotion of women entrepreneurship through e-commerce and social media.

Commercial Attaché Jeremiah C. Reyes shared that, “We in DTI have actively been encouraging our kababayan overseas to have an entrepreneurial mindset as this will provide more opportunities for employment and economic growth, especially in the age of digitalization and disruptive technologies that can change people’s day to day lives.”

Ms. Marvie Rances Samala of Blibli.com and Ms. April Cabello of TRANSDIGITAL served as the resource speakers during the lecture. Blibli.com is one of Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platforms while TRANSDIGITAL, part of CT Corp, is the largest consumer conglomerate in Indonesia.

The TNK Lecture Series: Entrepreneurship in the Digital World is brought to you by PTIC-Jakarta in partnership with the Embassy of the Philippines in Indonesia, and the Philippine Women’s Association – Indonesia (PWA Indonesia). The next TNK Lecture Series will be conducted in July 2019.