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

• Number: Republic Act No. 10557
• Sections: 15

Section 1 Short Title.

SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Philippine Design Competitiveness Act of 2013″.

Section 2 Statement of Policy.

SEC. 2. Statement of Policy. – It is the declared policy

of the State to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of Philippine

products, create market-responsive design services, while advocating

for economic and environmental sustainability. The State shall also

endeavor to promote an economy and society driven by design and

creativity responsive to our fast-changing times and reflective of the

Filipino culture and identity, while concurrently advocating the

protection of intellectual property rights to these ideas and

innovations.

Section 3 Objectives.

SEC. 3. Objectives. – The State shall promote and strengthen the Philippine design industry to achieve the following objectives:

(a) Create integrated, forward-thinking and long-range direction and strategy for the design industry;

(b) Provide long-term guidance to promote national awareness on

the use of design as a strategic tool for economic competitiveness and

social innovation;

(c) Integrate design into other industries and aspects of society

in order to create a demand for good design, and to extend its impact

economically, socially and environmentally;

(d) Incorporate design as a priority component in national planning and development; and

(e) Ultimately, encourage and drive innovation so that the

Philippines may use as leverage our raw materials, natural resources and

creativity to stay ahead of the curve.

Section 4

SEC. 4. Reengineering the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines and Strengthening its Mandate. –

The Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) 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 (DTI). 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 Design Center is further mandated to:

(a) Develop and maintain a creative research and development

program on product design, development and improvement of Philippine

products and services, including those created by the small and medium

enterprises (SMEs);

(b) Conduct continuing research on product and product packaging design trends, materials and processing technologies;

(c) Create, develop, promote and upgrade the design of all

Philippine products and services, including those created by the SMEs;

(d) Conduct seminars and workshops on product design and development;

(e) Set up design exhibitions;

(f) Publish design-related materials;

(g) Ensure protection of Filipino design ideas, products and other outputs of creative talents;

(h) Promote design education throughout the country to meet the needs of Philippine industries; and

(i) Promote Philippine design here and all over the world.

To effectively carry out this mandate, the Design Center shall exercise the following powers and functions:

National Design Policy

(1) Formulate the National Design Policy, herein referred to as the NDP, aligning it with the government’s economic agenda;

(2) Continuously formulate five (5)-year plans that are in line

with the general NDP, but reflective of the changing conditions in both

the domestic and international environments;

(3) Coordinate, monitor and assess the implementation of the NDP,

and, when necessary, update the NDP in the light of changing market

conditions in both the domestic and international environments;

(4) Establish an evaluation system through which the results of

the NDP (as well as singular projects and programs) could be assessed

and improved;

(5) Collaborate internationally with similar design policy

advisory bodies of other countries and gain insights and investigate on

how successful design practices in other countries can be transferred

and adapted in the context of Filipino creative and knowledge-based

industries as well as transition to the conceptual-based economy;

(6) Establish dialogue with designers to encourage them to actively engage in the implementation of design policy;

(7) Provide a forum for design stakeholders on current and emerging issues in the design profession;

Design Awareness

(8) Promote the design profession and the value of design;

(9) Build awareness of the importance of design to the public,

through local and international exhibitions, conferences, competitions,

community and school activities and other design-related events;

(10) Promote awareness on the protection of intellectual property rights;

(11) Establish more public creative zones and environments in

Metro Manila and other central hubs in different regions across the

country;

Design Integration

(12) Create networks and establish venues where all industries

could interact in design dialogues and workshops, thereby promoting

knowledge exchange, capability development and collaborative content

creation;

(13) Identify and encourage public and private collaborations

regarding design, competitiveness, governance and innovation to promote

networking, business and partnership opportunities;

Design for Development

(14) Conduct design-led approaches and competitions for the design

industry to help government solve socioeconomic and environmental

challenges;

(15) Actively push for the use of design and innovation in

government offices and departments, with the objective of coming up with

programs and processes that will enable the government to simplify and

streamline systems, so it can deliver its services more effectively and

efficiently;

(16) Maintain a standard of sustainable design in all projects that are undertaken by the Design Center;

(17) Employ design as a fundamental tool for communicating a strong, singular identity of the country;

Design and Innovation

(18) Create a skill development, mentoring and support system for

individuals, corporations, partnerships or associations, particularly

SMEs, who want to benefit from the strategic use of good design in

business administration, commerce, trade and other enterprises; and

(19) Undertake research and development on the different design

strengths and assets of the Philippines (i.e. manipulation and

development of raw materials that are indigenous to the country) so we

can be able to come up with globally relevant yet uniquely Filipino

innovations.

Section 5 Creation of the Design Advisory Council.

SEC. 5. Creation of the Design Advisory Council. – There

shall be created a Design Advisory Council, herein referred to as the

DAC, which shall be a public-private partnership that will serve as an

Advisory Council to the Design Center. The DAC shall advise the Design

Center in the formulation and implementation of policies that will

enhance the quality of competitiveness of Philippine products and

services and shall support the Philippine government in its efforts to

enhance the level of innovation and creativity in Philippine industries.

Section 6 Powers and Functions of the Design Advisory Council.

SEC. 6. Powers and Functions of the Design Advisory Council. –

The DAC shall advocate and promote the strategic role of design in

strengthening sustainability of Philippine socioeconomic growth and

competitiveness. It shall exercise the following powers and functions:

(a) Provide advice and insights imperative in pursuing the mandate

of the Design Center by effectively representing the collective views

of both the public and the private sectors;

(b) Advocate for full consideration of design’s contribution to

program effectiveness and innovation in government policy decisions;

(c) Review and promote policies where design is a key component;

(d) Act as a liaison among the professional design, design education and government design stakeholders; and

(e) Provide advice and guidance to design education institutions

on the development and standardization of course syllabus, ensuring the

propagation of high quality education in design in all regions across

the country.

Section 7 Composition of the Design Advisory Council.

SEC. 7. Composition of the Design Advisory Council. – The DAC shall be composed of fifteen (15) members from the following government departments or offices:

(a) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI):

(1) Secretary of the DTI;

(2) Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM); and

(3) Intellectual Property Office (IPO);

(b) National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA);

(c) Department of Tourism (DOT);

(d) Department of Education (DepED);

(e) Commission on Higher Education (CHED); and

(f) Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The Executive Director of the Design Center shall be an ex officiomember of the Council to be appointed by the President.

The other six (6) remaining members of the DAC shall come from the

organized associations involved in the sector, academic community

engaged in design courses and representatives of the private sector

including, but not limited to, visual communications, architecture,

industrial design, interior design, information design, new media and

technology, fashion design, environmental design and similar areas.

The representatives of the private sector shall be appointed by

the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the DTI from

the nominees to be submitted by the organizations of the various design

sectors.

The Council shall be co-chaired by the Secretary of the DTI and

the representative from the private sector, to be appointed by the

President from among the private sector appointees.

The presence of eight (8) members shall constitute a quorum, and

all decisions of the Council shall require the concurrence of the

majority of such quorum. The members of the DAC shall receive per diems for

every meeting attended at rates allowed under existing rules and

regulations. The DAC may meet not more than twice a month. However, the

Chairman may call a special meeting when the need arises.

The Design Center shall act as the Secretariat of the Council.

Section 8 Powers and Functions of the Executive Director of the Design Center.

SEC. 8. Powers and Functions of the Executive Director of the Design Center. –

The Design Center shall have an Executive Director, who shall execute,

administer and implement the policies, plans and measures approved by

the DAC and perform such other functions as may be necessary to carry

out specific responsibilities in connection with said plans and

measures.

A quarterly report of the accomplishments of the Design Center

shall be submitted by the Executive Director to the DAC. The DAC shall

submit an annual report to the President of the Philippines not later

than one (1) month after the end of each year.

Section 9 The National Design Policy.

SEC. 9. The National Design Policy. – The NDP shall serve

as the State’s strategy in promoting design as a driving force towards a

sustainable economic growth and development and a catalyst for

increasing the competitiveness of the country in the global market. The

NDP shall be created to meet the following goals:

(a) Global Competitiveness:

(1) Elevate Philippine designs and innovation toward global

standards through collaboration with international design organizations;

(2) Enhance the competitiveness and innovation of Philippine

products and services, making it more responsive to social needs while

advocating for economic and environmental sustainability;

(3) Create a distinctive and recognizable identity for Philippine

products through global positioning and branding of Philippine designs;

(4) Build the competitiveness and capabilities of Filipino

designers through continuous trainings, seminars and workshops, and

collaborations with Philippine manufacturers; and

(5) Provide opportunities for Filipino designers to showcase their talent locally and internationally.

(b) Institutionalization and Promotion of Design Culture Nationwide:

(1) Encourage the creation of original designs in Philippine-made

products and services by blending native and heritage-based aesthetics

indigenous arts, crafts and materials and current global design trends;

(2) Promote the understanding of diverse Philippine cultures so

that it can be translated into modern design concepts that enable an

innovation process that is uniquely Filipino;

(3) Enhance the quality of the Philippine products and services

and productivity of the Philippine manufacturers through design;

(4) Create design awareness among manufacturers and service

providers, particularly the SMEs, on the competitiveness brought about

by original designs;

(5) Conduct programs that will challenge designers, design

students and ordinary citizens to actively engage in solving and

mitigating socioeconomic and environmental problems through design-led

approaches;

(6) Establish networks and resources for knowledge exchange and

capability development leveraging on automation, computerized and

web-based services; and

(7) Encourage the collaboration and partnerships among local

stakeholders of the design industry such as industry associations,

management of the SMEs, Filipino designers, the academe, government

agencies and other private organizations.

(c) Creation of an Environment to Cultivate a Constant Demand for Good Design:

(1) Ensure the balance of supply (designers) and demand (private

and public organizations, whether local or international) of the design

industry;

(2) Promote an appreciation for good design not only among

citizens, but also within business organizations and government

institutions; and

(3) Create linkages with the business sector, the educational

sector, government institutions and the public in general to encourage

them to employ and invest in good design.

(d) Design Protection:

(1) Promote Philippine designs through registration of

Intellectual Property Rights and through Technology Licensing Offices;

and

(2) Encourage and facilitate a culture of creating and protecting intellectual property in the area of design.

(e) Design Education and Professional Development:

(1) Elevate design education and design research in the Philippines to global standards of excellence;

(2) Invest on appropriate infrastructure and technology to support design;

(3) Establish an active collaboration among industry, professional

designers and the academe towards the development of the design

profession; and

(4) Inculcate among the youth the value of good design in

enhancing the quality of human life by including design appreciation in

the curriculum.

(f) Institutionalization of Design as an Effective Problem-Solving Tool:

(1) Conceptualize effective and sustainable design-related approaches to drive economic growth and development;

(2) Seek design solutions for issues related to social innovation and environmental sustainability and protection;

(3) Expand awareness on the benefits of the strategic use of good

design in business and government administration, trade and commerce, as

well as in the SMEs; and

(4) Encourage the government to invest on activities geared

towards increasing the competitiveness of Philippine design and creative

industries.

Section 10 Design Industries Linkages with the Educational System.

SEC. 10. Design Industries Linkages with the Educational System. –

To ensure a continuous supply of creative talents and to stimulate

design creativity and innovation among students at all levels of

education, the DepED, the CHED and the TESDA, in consultation with and

assistance of the Design Center, shall formulate measures to establish a

stronger connection between arts, culture, education and training, and

to harness the potentials of the youth.

Section 11 Appropriations.

SEC. 11. Appropriations. – The amount necessary to carry

out the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the

current year’s appropriations of the PDDCP. Thereafter, such sums as may

be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be

included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Section 12 Implementing Rules and Regulations.

SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DTI shall issue the implementing rules and regulations within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act.

Section 13 Repealing Clause.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. – Executive Order No. 133, s.

1987 is hereby amended accordingly. All other laws, decrees, executive

orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof as are inconsistent with

this Act, are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 14 Separability Clause.

SEC. 14. Separability Clause. – The provisions of this

Act are hereby declared separable, and in the event any of its

provisions is declared unconstitutional, the other provisions which are

not affected thereby shall remain in force and effect.

Section 15 Effectivity.

SEC. 15. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation in the country.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JUAN PONCE ENRILE

President of the Senate

(Sgd.) FELICIANO BELMONTE JR.

Speaker of the House

of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 6852 and

Senate Bill No. 3071 was finally passed by the House of Representatives

and the Senate on February 4, 2013 and February 6, 2013, respectively.

(Sgd.) EDWIN B. BELLEN

Acting Secretary of the Senate

(Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP

Secretary General

House of Representatives

Approved: MAY 15 2013

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

President of the Philippines