Cebuano creative whizzes open 2nd design academy

CEBU, Philippines - A tandem of Cebuano creative whizzes expanded their design academy facility to complete Cebu's array of world-known creative artists, capitalizing on digital design and visual arts.

Creative consultant John Henry Delfino and advertising virtuoso Joey Suaco opened their second Draft Academy, School of Design at The Henry's Hotel in Maria Luisa Road, Banilad, Cebu.

In a press conference yesterday, Delfino said that the increasing demand for skills on graphic and visual arts in Cebu prompted the Draft Creative Group to open its second school in Cebu.

The first Draft Academy campus at J. Osmeña (uptown area) opened in 2012. Since then, it already produced over a hundred graduates in seven batches. Almost all or about 90 percent of them are practicing their skills, whether employed locally, or overseas.

The TESDA-accredited skill-based institution, Draft Academy teaches the actual market need in design, arts, digital advertising, animation, minimizing the incorporation of too much theories, said Delfino.

"Cebu has already produced international names in fashion, industrial designs, the likes of Monique Lhuillier, Kenneth Cobonpue," said Delfino, but despite the rich talent here in visual design field, Cebu has yet to be known in this particular category.

Draft Academy aims to fill this vacuum in the creative eco-system in Cebu.

Suaco, a Cebuano who sharpened his creative practice in Manila for 15 years as executive producer for video and TV commercial production as well as high caliber exposure to visual arts, will serve as the managing partner for the new Banilad campus at The Henry Hotel.

Regardless of age, educational background, this skill-based school offers a tri-mester program, wherein a student completes his certification for a one-year intensive program.

"Our advantage is, our mentors are industry practitioners. We based our training/module on the actual practice, not just in books or theories," said Delfino, whose creative agency is responsible for the logo and visual collaterals of Cebuano brands like Bo's Coffee, Pizza Republic, and currently the branding consultant of the new Mactan Cebu International Airport.

As an education advocate, Delfino said the lack of support for Cebu’s creative community became his driving force in putting up the Draft Academy.

Cebu is one of the cities in the world proclaimed by the British Council as part of the roster of Creative Cities.

In a separate earlier interview with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) regional director Asteria Caberte, she said that a multi-agency task force is working to identify measures to strengthen Cebu's edge in creative sector. (FREEMAN)