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A reader
who, surprisingly, is not a relative of mine, had kind
and encouraging words about “Aesthetic” printed here a
few Thursdays ago.
Charis
Raya of Pitik Bulag Inc., a design-management company,
wrote that a design patent “makes it easier for Filipino
designers to protect their intellectual property.” She
believes that with the protection afforded by design
patents, “our designers would be more motivated to not
only excel in the present application and schools of
design but to, in fact, innovate. We’ve got so much
creative potential…it would be wonderful if our local
creative industry would make headway into making
innovations and collectively create a mark distinctly
Filipino in the world of design.”
Finding
that “distinctiveness” is a challenge hurled at every
country by the forces of globalization. In a world where
goods cross borders with relative ease, creating
uniformity in consumer tastes and lifestyles, how can
one create a product that stands out in the market? If,
indeed, “the world is flat,” how can one cause a hump to
be noticed? After all, to compete one must stand out, be
noticed, attract.
How to
be “distinctive” is a challenge not just in the world of
design, but of art, literature, technology, business and
almost all areas of socio-economic life. The writer as
well as the entrepreneur must find that distinctive
voice or characteristic that distinguishes his book or
his product from the rest in the field. In the global
marketplace, shouldn’t a country be doing the same?
Some
countries do promote themselves by showing their
distinctive natural attractions as well as unique
products to lure tourists to their shores.
“Philippines…beyond the usual,” “Malaysia, Truly Asia,”
“Incredible India” and “Seoul in Design, Design in
Seoul,” are familiar branding ads for those who watch
international and travel programs.
A mark
“distinctly Filipino,” I think, has been developing in
the world of design as well as other fields. In fashion,
designers have played around with the terno and barong,
mixing tradition with modern lines. They’ve also mixed
indigenous weaves and colors to produce alluring
clothing. In the furniture industry also, a number of
Filipino designers have made a name for themselves
internationally for combining modern designs with
indigenous materials.
Another
area is in music, where the Original Pilipino Music (OPM)
movement has made tremendous headway since the 1960s,
fusing Filipino themes and indigenous sounds with modern
instruments.
So there
is that “distinctly Filipino” flair in many of our
innovations. But Ms. Raya also offered another insight:
“At this level of global competition, creative talent
alone is not enough to prosper. There is a need to be
savvy in the ways to protect and leverage our talents so
that they can bring our creative industry to a level of
maturity that opens global opportunities not only for
the industry, but national growth, as well.”
I think
she hits the nail on the head. Our present state or
condition is “not in the stars.” A “distinctly Filipino”
Jose Rizal showed us through his writings and with his
life that we are equal to other races in intelligence,
creativity, talent and character. We just have to get
our act together. |
