Greetings from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Philippine Cultural Education Program (PCEP). We are one with the nation in celebration of the Philippine Creative Industries month and the Indigenous Languages Decade.
Since the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act has lapsed into law last July 28 this year, this is the first time to celebrate September as the Creative Industries Month. RA 11904 is an act providing for the development and promotion of the Philippine Creative Industries. On our end as Cultural Education Scholars, arts managers and cultural administrators, we partake with the organization of Philippine Creative Industries Development Council. In particular, we look forward to the objectives, targets, strategies, and activities on the development and promotion of Philippine creative industries. Moreover, sec. 17 on Creative Instruction and Education endeavors to come up with policies, programs and strategies geared towards human resource development, audience capacity-building and consumer empowerment in the country’ s creative industries, in partnership with the private sector and academe.
In addition, the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) among others, support and develop relevant programs related to creative industries. Likewise, the respective agencies shall provide talent, skills and technical-vocational trainings through scholarship programs. The DepEd, CHED and TESDA shall also extend incentives to academic institutions that provide funds and/or grants for the research of their students and faculty on matters relating to the development and promotion of Philippine creative industries.
On a larger scheme of things, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the period between 2022 and 2032 as the International Decade on Indigenous Languages (IDIL 2022-32) to draw global attention on the critical situation of many indigenous languages and to mobilize stakeholders and resources for their preservation, revitalization and promotion.
Therefore, closer to home and our region in Central Luzon we are honored and glad to have particular creative industries in Pampanga such as pukpuk and lantern-making. Also, we stand with indigenous peoples from Bataan (Ayta Magbukun) and Aurora (Illongot) to underscore their plight, hopes and aspirations.
In closing, best regards from NCCA PCEP in putting creative industries and indigenous languages front and center of this CulEd 204: Issues in Cultural Education Unconference. Congratulations and may we move from new normal to the “Next Normal” through creative industries promotion and development along with indigenous languages revitalization.
Dr. Joseph “Sonny” Cristobal
NCCA PCEP Director