DTI, Design Center Ensure Gov't Efforts to Nurture PH Creative Talent

MANILA, Philippines, Sept. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- "Today's conference is Design Center's initiative to respond to the new demands brought about by this hyper-changing world. With 45 years of steadfast service in leading the Philippine design industry to greater heights, IDC is another testimony to Design Center's utmost commitment to design excellence."

This is what Philippine Trade and Industry Department Undersecretary Nora Terrado had to say at the closing of the International Design Conference (IDC) 2018 held on 21 September at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier in Taguig.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Design Center of the Philippines, the IDC carries the theme Dangerous Ideas: Unleashing Design Leadership. This year's edition aimed to make Filipino creatives and designers comfortable with nonlinear thinking and confident in seeing themselves at the forefront of their respective fields. The conference featured global and local industry leaders, changemakers, and rockstars at the forefront of the creative industries.

Keynote speakers included DOOR to ASIA Designer Coordinator Mikiharu Yabe who talked about the role of design in regional revitalization in the wake of a natural disaster, as well as Quotient Design Research founder Michael Barry who located craftsmanship, which the Philippines is world-renowned for, in the wake of Industrialization 4.0. Architect Abelardo "Jojo" Tolentino, at the helm of top architectural firm Aidea, Inc., discussed how his Filipino roots helped him succeed in the competitive global arena of architecture.

The Undersecretary ensured that given the abundance of talent and factors that positively shape the economic playground for the Philippines' creative industries, the government recognizes the need for a more purposive strategy in nurturing and training talents to become world-class changemakers and global leaders. "This is where the critical role of design education and learning comes in," she added.

For her part, Design Center Executive Director Rhea Matute said that the agency will continue to use design to address real-world problems, not just consumer needs. "We will continue to implement efforts where we can use the power of design to heal communities, people, and a nation," she noted.

Terrado also stressed that a Philippine brand of Design Leadership in the context of the Digital Age must be identified and developed.

"I hope that we end this day with a firm resolve in claiming our latent leadership capacity and the boldness to explore rabid and radical ideas," Terrado concluded.

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SOURCE DTI-Design Center of the Philippines