Workers across the Philippine creative sector stand to gain significant structural, financial, and logistical support through Senate Bill No. 2517, officially known as the Philippine Agency for the Creative Economy (PACE) Act. Co-developed by Senator Bam Aquino alongside the acclaimed "Kings of P-Pop," SB19, this groundbreaking legislative measure aims to institutionalize support for local artists, performers, and content creators, turning artistic talent into a major driver of national economic growth.
According to Aquino, who serves as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, national focus must be urgently directed toward the creative sector. Currently, creative industries contribute approximately 7.6 percent to the Philippines' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and sustain the livelihoods of over 7.5 million Filipino workers.
“By helping Filipino creatives reach the world and enabling Philippine creative goods and services to thrive in international markets, this measure seeks not only to generate jobs, investments, and economic growth, but also to showcase Philippine culture, creativity, and national identity on the global stage,” Aquino emphasized. “The Philippines has already demonstrated that it can produce world-class creative talent. It is now time to build a world-class government framework that enables Filipino creativity to reach its full global potential.”
Key Pillars and Benefits of the PACE Act
1. Establishment of the Philippine Agency for the Creative Economy (PACE)
The core of SB 2517 mandates the creation of PACE, an executive agency operating directly under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). PACE will serve as the permanent Secretariat of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council, providing dedicated governance that was previously fragmented across multiple agencies.
PACE is charged with formulating and executing the Creative Global Market Strategy, coordinating directly with key cultural and diplomatic institutions, including:
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Department of Tourism (DOT)
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)
Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
By deploying overseas Creative Industry Desks, PACE will actively facilitate global business matching, international partnerships, licensing, and trade show participation for local creators.
2. Specialized Development Funds for Creative Sectors
To ensure financial resources match the ambitions of local artists, the proposed law significantly strengthens the existing Creative Industries Development Fund established under Republic Act No. 11904 (the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act).
The expanded fund will directly back:
International Mobility & Travel Grants: Funding for artists, musicians, and filmmakers attending overseas exhibitions, showcases, and cultural exchanges.
Sector-Specific Funding Windows: Dedicated financial support streams, starting with the Music Global Opportunities Window, tailored to enhance the global competitiveness of Filipino singers, songwriters, sound engineers, and producers. The Council holds the authority to roll out similar targeted windows for film, design, animation, and performing arts.
3. A Whole-of-Government Approach to Global Mobility
Recognizing the administrative hurdles and visa complications frequently faced by touring artists and performers, SB 2517 introduces a streamlined Creative Mobility Endorsement System.
Under this system, the DFA and DTI will issue official government endorsements to bolster visa applications, work permits, and legal clearances for creative workers participating in international competitions, festival tours, co-productions, and trade missions. Complementing this, a dedicated Creative Talent Mobility Facilitation Mechanism—involving the Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Migrant Workers—will establish fast-track procedures to eliminate red tape for creatives traveling abroad for professional engagements.
Bam Aquino’s Ongoing Advocacy for Local Talent
Senator Aquino has consistently championed the recognition and protection of Filipino artists. Beyond drafting systemic legislation like the PACE Act, Aquino regularly sponsors legislative honors celebrating groundbreaking achievements by Filipino talent on the world stage.
Recently, he filed Senate Resolution No. 370, honoring "The Nation’s Girl Group," BINI, for their historic performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, where they became the first all-Filipino group to perform at the festival. Furthermore, Aquino authored Senate Resolution No. 591, commending Filipino dance crews—including Femme MNL, HQ, The Crew, Folk Jumpers, and Sayawatha Jr.—for their dominant showings at the World Hip Hop Dance Championship in Phoenix, Arizona.
Through the PACE Act, Aquino seeks to shift government support from passive commendation after the fact to proactive, end-to-end structural enablement—ensuring that every Filipino creative has the legal, financial, and logistical backing needed to succeed globally.
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