Creative industry needs to step up to stay relevant

CEBU, Philippines - Efforts to help the creative industry in Cebu to step up continue as creative manufacturers need to stay relevant in today's changing demands.

Butch Carungay, managing director of accessories maker Avatar Style, said Cebu's creative manufacturers must build on their efficiency in using natural materials to come up with good products.

"We need to stay relevant," Carungay said, noting that export markets have become challenging this time amid the prevailing soft global demand.

A project on materials innovation by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and Department of Science and Technology-Region 7 will continue to support the enhancement of competencies of Cebu's homegrown creative manufacturing industries.

The project advocates the innovation of materials being used by Cebu's creative sector, which includes home lifestyle and fashion accessories makers.

In an interview with the press Tuesday, ECCP President Guenter Taus reckoned that the creative sector should not only be limited to manufacturers of furniture and accessories.

Taus pointed out that "Creativity is limitless."

"We have a lot of creativity in many ways," he said, citing the ways to attract tourists as example.

He said that Cebu's tourist destinations have made creative ways to attract more visitors, and that's where creativity works, he added.

ECCP said the materials innovation project will support small and medium enterprises of home lifestyle and fashion accessories industries of Cebu — particularly close to 300 firms that are members of the Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Cebu GTH and FAME Foundation.

It said these companies are responsible for the employment of around 160,000 people including all subcontractors spread throughout Cebu and its neighboring islands.

The ECCP maintains the Materials Innovation Centre in its office here, serving as a hub for material innovation and manipulation.

It also wants to inspire the creative minds in Cebu's lifestyle sector. — (FREEMAN)