Design Center to open satellite offices outside NCR

THE Department of Trade and Industry-Design Center of the Philippines unveiled plans to open several satellite offices outside the National Capital Region (NCR) — but first, they’re moving offices.

On Dec. 5 at the First United Building in Escolta, Manila, during the Design Center’s Media Salo-Salo, Maria Rita O. Matute, executive director of the Design Center, told media about the impending move from their present Sen. Gil Puyat office in Pasay City up the same road in Makati in January 2025. “We’ve outgrown our current office,” said Ms. Matute in an interview with BusinessWorld. They’re moving from the Philippine Trade Training Center to the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau office (after they moved from the Cultural Center of the Philippines due to the widespread renovations in the complex).

“While we’re still waiting for the approval na sana (of the) design museum/co-working space/Design Center office… this will serve for the next two, three years; hopefully, as we continue to grow,” she said.

EXPANDINGShe said that they would reach almost 200 staffers by 2028, if all their plans come to fruition.

Their increasing size is due to Republic Act No. 10557 (An Act Promoting and Strengthening Filipino Design, Providing for the Purpose a National Design Policy and Renaming the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines into the Design Center of the Philippines and for Other Purposes). Section 4 of the Act says, “The Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines is hereby reengineered and renamed into the Design Center of the Philippines, herein referred to as the Design Center. It shall be attached to the Department of Trade and Industry. It is mandated to promote design as a creative tool for improving the quality and competitiveness and branding of Filipino products in the global market; as a strategic tool of value creation for sustainable economic growth and development; and as an innovative tool for enhancing the quality of human life.”

“The mandate was expanded,” explained Ms. Matute. “It needs to have people. It’s not just people in Metro Manila.

“Part of that Republic Act is to create satellite offices,” she said, noting that they plan to open those in Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

“To make design a culture, you really need to be on the ground and not just in the National Capital Region.”

GOOD DESIGN AWARDSOther achievements of the Design Center were highlighted during the event, such as the success of Good Design Award Philippines, the national design excellence recognition program.

Good Design Award Philippines showcased 84 shortlisted entries, an 87% increase from the previous edition, with 27 of these earning the prestigious award.

Among these winners, nine designs were conferred with Japan’s renowned G Mark, affirming the opportunities waiting for the Philippines in the international market.

“Through programs like Good Design Award Philippines and collaborations with Good Design Award Japan (G Mark), we help not only new micro-, small- and medium-enterprises (MSMEs) demonstrate their creativity, innovation, and social impact on the world stage, but also open up new and higher value international trade rates,” Ms. Matute said in a statement.

A cornerstone of the Design Center’s initiatives is its work with pinyapel®, a sustainable, non-wood alternative for the pulp and paper industry. The Design x pinyapel® project is a platform to take Philippine MSMEs on a path toward green entrepreneurship. Using pinyapel®, pulp made from discarded pineapple leaves, this collection is a result of the collaboration and co-creation between the agency, Creative Director Milo Naval, and 21 companies for the production of the materials to its transformation into interior products.

The Design Center also joined a global panel on democratizing design, alongside the UK, Germany, and Taiwan at the World Design Policy Conference held in San Diego California. The Philippines is considered one of the Global models for democratizing design.   

Ms. Matute discussed that MSMEs could avail of their support through the various resources they have at their disposal: these include WGSN trend reports, and their design collection and library, which contains over 1,000 titles related to design. “They can come anytime, eight to five, to get (free) access to these resources.” — JLG