DTI and TikTok explore setting up PH Content Creator Academy

Trade and Industry Secretary Fred Pascual with the Philippine delegation during his meeting with TikTok representatives

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and social media giant TikTok are exploring the possibility of establishing an academy for content creators in the Philippines.

In a statement on Thursday, the DTI said the proposed collaboration was discussed during a meeting on June 5 in Singapore between Trade Minister Alfredo Pascual and representatives of the company TikTok.

The DTI said the aim of the academy is to nurture Filipino talent and creativity to pave the way for deeper digital inclusion in the country.

Creative industries

Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority last March showed that the value of the creative economy – which includes artists, influencers, content creators and entertainers – reached P1.72 trillion.

It grew by 6.9 percent last year, outpacing the country's overall economic growth of 5.6 percent.

The academy aims to help more Filipinos learn how to develop content that is best suited for the popular short-form video platform. With these mobile-optimized videos, they can improve their chances of gaining an audience. They can also use the site to promote their products through live sales and using the popular e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop.

This follows discussions between the DTI and TikTok corporate representatives on improving the protection features of the TikTok store.

The DTI said it welcomed TikTok's Safety Enforcement Tool, a portal created for vetted government agencies and law enforcement officials to securely request and monitor the progress of content removals. —Alden M. Monzon