|
IF the
country seems to be running out of economic steam due to
the global growth slowdown and soaring commodity prices,
the Philippines, like many other developing countries,
still has an ace to play in global trade, according to
the United Nations Trade and Development (Unctad).
The
Unctad with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
recently released the Creative Economy Report 2008, the
first study that presented the UN’s perspective in
harnessing the world’s creative industries for inclusive
economic growth.
The
report provided empirical evidence that the creative
industries are among the most dynamic emerging sectors
in world trade and that a large majority of developing
countries are not yet able to harness their creative
capacities for development.
“This is
a reflection of weaknesses both in domestic policy and
in the business environment, and global systemic biases.
Nevertheless, the creative economy offers to developing
countries a feasible option and new opportunities to
leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas of the world
economy,” the report stated.
The
report considered the
Philippines
among the Asia-Pacific countries that had a lot of
potential in developing its creative economy.
The
grouping also includes
China,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
“These
countries may all be considered major Asia-Pacific
economies with a strategic interest in creative-industry
development though it may not be expressed in these
terms,” the report stated.
The
Philippines was included in the list of top-10 exporters
of visual arts among developing countries in 2005. The
country exported some $107 million worth of goods which
represented 0.48 percent of the total market share.
The
report also showed that in 2005, creative industries in
the Philippines contributed some 4.92 percent to gross
domestic product (GDP) and accounted for 11.10 percent
of the country’s labor force during that time.
In 2005
the country was also considered the second-biggest
exporter of wickerware among developing countries with
exports worth $95 million, and accounted for 10.53
percent of total production and 5.81 percent of the
world’s total.
Among
developing countries in 2005, the Philippines also
ranked fourth in the export of newspapers which was
worth $67 million, which was 7.37 percent of total local
production, 6.95 percent of the total among developing
countries and 0.44 percent of the world total newspaper
exports.
The
Philippines also ranked fifth among developing countries
in the export of sculptures in 2005. Sculpture exports
from the country amounted to $102 million, accounting
for 11.21 percent of local production, 2.43 percent of
the total sculpture exports from developing countries
and 1.67 percent of total world sculpture exports.
In terms
of imports of creative products, the country ranked
seventh among developing countries who imported other
arts crafts. In 2005, the country’s import bill for
these goods amounted to $46 million, accounting for
11.95 percent of country imports, 1.75 percent of
developing-country imports and 0.48 percent of the world
total.
Creative
industries range from traditional arts and crafts,
publishing, music, and visual and performing arts to
more technology-intensive and services-oriented groups
of activities such as film, television and radio
broadcasting, new media and design.
The
Unctad believes that these creative industries can help
developing countries like the Philippines foster income
generation, job creation, and boost export earnings
while promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and
human development.
Creative
industries account for 3.4 percent of total world trade,
with exports reaching $424.4 billion in 2005 and an
average annual growth rate of 8.7 percent between 2000
and 2005.
World
exports of visual arts more than doubled from $10.3
billion in 1996 to $22.1 billion in 2005. Exports of
audiovisuals tripled over the same period and that much
of the trade in audiovisual products occurs in the form
of rights transactions as the means for buying and
selling creative content.
Further,
the report stated that creative sectors of developing
economies have significant potential to contribute
toward the achievement of at least the following six
specific components of the Millennium Development Goals.
These
components are poverty eradication and reduction of
inequality; gender equality; sustainable development
strategies; global partnerships for development;
strategies for the social inclusion of youth; and
spreading access to new communications.
To
harness the development of the creative economy, the
Unctad and UNDP urged governments, particularly in
developing countries, to implement policy strategies
that encourage the growth of creative industries.
These
policies, the UN agencies said, must emphasize the
“creative nexus” between investment, technology,
entrepreneurship, and trade. |
