Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP)

Creative Economy Council of the Philippines (CECP) is a private-sector body coordinating the country’s creative industries under Republic Act 11904. Since 2017 it has linked design, media, gaming, and music firms with government agencies to grow exports and jobs.

Key takeaways

• Founded in June 2017 as the private-sector voice of Philippine creative industries.
• Republic Act 11904 (July 2022) formalized its coordination mandate.
• Members span design, music, animation, film, gaming, and advertising firms.
• CECP partners with government bodies like DTI, PEZA, and IBPAP on policy.
• Creative exports track alongside BPO and KPO as Philippine growth pillars.

CECP grew out of a 2017 industry summit convened by founding chairman Paolo Mercado. It sits alongside business process outsourcing (BPO) and knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) as a pillar of the Philippine services economy.

The council serves as the industry’s counterpart to state agencies handling trade, education, and investment promotion — a role now anchored in Republic Act 11904, signed in July 2022.

The council coordinates with peer associations, the IBPAP on the IT-BPO side and the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry (PARI) inside its own federation, to speak with a joint voice on labor and export policy.

Membership sits at both corporate and association level. Founders included design studios, animation shops, ad agencies, publishers, and music labels, many exporting to North American, Japanese, and European markets since the late 2000s.

That mix gives the council reach across trade policy, IP law, and skills programs. It also means CECP can speak for both micro-studios and large media firms, mirroring the country’s actual creative production base.

Working groups run alongside the board on IP, trade fairs, tax incentives, education pipelines, and international representation. Each is staffed by member-firm executives volunteering time between company duties.

Beyond legislation, CECP runs creative-economy research and briefings for member firms. Regular data drops on export figures, industry headcount, and city-level activity give small studios information usually reserved for larger firms.

How it works

CECP operates as a federation of trade groups and creative firms. It sets research priorities, drafts policy positions, and negotiates with government on incentives, workforce pipelines, and export promotion for creative industries under Republic Act 11904.

The creative industries contribute between 2% and 11% of GDP across 50-plus countries, per UNCTAD tracking. CECP uses that benchmark to push for Philippine parity — through R&D grants, IP protection, and school-to-industry pathways.

CECP staff run committees on policy, education, and international trade. Each committee reports to the board, which then briefs Congress and cabinet officials handling creative-industry legislation.

Funding comes from membership fees, foundation grants, and public-sector project support. That mixed base lets the council take positions independent of any single agency or firm.

Advocacy scope includes tax incentives, IP registration reforms, workforce training grants, and city-level Creative City accreditation support. The council picks yearly priorities and briefs both chambers of Congress ahead of budget hearings.

Examples

CECP’s footprint shows up in named events, trade missions, and city-level accreditation. Each example ties back to Republic Act 11904 — the July 2022 law that formalized creative industries as a national priority sector.

Creative Futures conference: since its 2018 launch, this annual Manila summit brings founders, agencies, ministers, foreign trade attachés, and investors together to close deals, share sector data, and set the following year’s creative-economy agenda.

UNESCO Creative Cities designations: Cebu (design), Iloilo (gastronomy), and Baguio (crafts) each carry UNESCO Creative City status — CECP supports each city’s application dossier and post-designation programming across the peer-city network.

International trade missions: CECP delegations have joined South by Southwest (Austin), Annecy (France), Tokyo Game Show, and Asia TV Forum to pitch Philippine animation, gaming, music, and format-TV exports to buyers, festival programmers, and studio scouts.

Policy coordination: since Republic Act 11904 passed, CECP has co-drafted rules with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), worked with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) on incentive zones, and briefed the House committee on creative industries.

Related terms

• Business process outsourcing (BPO): the services-export peer sector CECP often benchmarks against.
• Knowledge process outsourcing (KPO): higher-value analytics and research work adjacent to creative services.
• IBPAP: the IT-BPO peer association CECP coordinates with on labor policy.
• DTI: the government agency CECP briefs on trade and incentives.
• PEZA: the zone authority CECP works with on creative-firm tax perks.
• Creative industries: the broader term CECP represents nationally.
• PARI: the music-industry member body inside the CECP federation.

FAQ

What does CECP stand for?

CECP stands for Creative Economy Council of the Philippines. It is the private-sector federation representing the country’s creative industries in national policy, export promotion, and international trade forums.

When was CECP established?

CECP was founded in June 2017 at a national creative-industries summit. Paolo Mercado, a veteran advertising and brand executive, served as founding chairman.

What law backs CECP’s mandate?

Republic Act 11904, the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, was signed into law in July 2022. The act formally recognizes creative industries as a priority sector and gives CECP a coordination role alongside government agencies.

Which creative sectors does CECP represent?

CECP covers advertising, animation, publishing, music, gaming, film, design, and crafts under one umbrella. Named member firms and associations include Top Draw, 4As Philippines, and PARI, spanning both micro-studios and large media groups.

How does CECP work with government?

CECP briefs the DTI, PEZA, and Congress on policy, tax incentives, and workforce pipelines. It also supports UNESCO Creative City dossiers for Cebu, Iloilo, and Baguio, giving those cities a global creative-brand credential.

What role did Republic Act 11904 give CECP?

The 2022 law recognizes CECP as an industry partner in creative-economy policy design. It also sets up the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, where CECP holds seats alongside cabinet-level government agencies.

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