The Philippine creative economy amounted to P1.72 trillion and contributed 7.1 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday.
Data showed the 2023 figure marked a 6.9-percent growth from P1.61-trillion recorded value in 2022.
The PSA said creative economy is composed of audio and audiovisual media activities; digital interactive goods and service activities; advertising, research and development and other artistic service activities; symbols and images and other related activities; media publishing and printing activities; music, arts and entertainment activities; visual arts activities; traditional cultural expression activities; and art galleries, museums, ballrooms, conventions and trade shows and related activities.
It said that of the creative domains, symbols and images and other related activities had the highest share of 31.5 percent or P541.75 billion to the total creative economy in 2023.
This was higher by 2.4 percent than the P529.12 billion value in 2022. Advertising, research and development and other artistic service activities contributed 21.9 percent, while digital interactive goods and service activities accounted for 21.1 percent in 2023.
The PSA said that in 2023, 7.26 million individuals were employed in creative industries, which grew by 4.0 percent from 6.98 million persons in 2022.
Employment in traditional cultural expression activities recorded the highest share of 35.5 percent in 2023. This was followed by symbols and images and other related activities and advertising, research and development and other artistic service activities with 30.3 percent and 17.8 percent, respectively.
The PSA said figures on creative economy were based on the results of the pilot study done by the technical staff of the agency.
“Since the methodology is currently being refined for presentation later to the PSA board, the results are considered preliminary,” it said.