FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 2930 
'11 
AUG -9 f,)Q:O 0 
Introduced by Senator TEOFISTO "TG" GUINGONA III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Design goes beyond aesthetics. It is a product of the merger between creativity and 
innovation. Ultimately, it is a problem-solving mechanism Design fuses art, culture, business, 
science and technology towards the paramount purpose of solving problems, which in turn leads 
to improving the quality of human life. 
Indications of a global momentous economic shift are evident. Design is being seriously 
recognized as an engine for economic and social progression. Studies show that design can 
create value for the country as it has the potential to generate wealth, produce substantial 
employment, set off a rising standard of living, and stimulate global competitiveness, in the 
process. 
The substantial socioeconomic value of design is difficult to overlook. Design cuts across 
many areas of public concerns, such as urban development, housing, enterprise and business 
strategy, education and capability development, culture, heritage, transportation, healthcare, and 
trade development. Our neighboring Asian countries have already begun tapping into this 
inexhaustible human resource spawned by creativity and innovation. Design Councils have been 
established to utilize and enhance the maximum potential of design. Singapore has the 
DesignSingapore Council; South Korea has the Korean Institute of Design Promotion; and 
Thailand has the Thailand Creative & Design Center, to name a few. All these groups are geared 
towards design-driven ways to achieving economic growth, and at the same time enhancing 
human life. 
Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that "the State shall 
promote a just and dynamic social order and free the people from poverty through policies that 
provide and promote full employment, a rising standard ofliving, and an improved quality of life 
for all." 
The creation of the Design COllncil of the Philippines will be in consonance with the 
aforementioned state policy. It is opportune for the Philippines to focus on design as a key 
catalyst to creating new opportunities that would give our economy that much needed boost. The 
Philippines is now presented with a challenge to create its own Design Council that would apply, 
develop and sustain design as an innovative, practical and effective problem-solving mechanism. 
We are more than ready to conquer this challenge as our nation is blessed with a vast supply of 
brilliant and artistic individuals endowed with creativity and ingenuity, who are working on 
design. With the creation of the Desixn Council of the Philippines, a national design policy shall 


brilliant and artistic individuals endowed with creativity and ingenuity, who are working on 
design. With the creation of the Design Council of the Philippines, a national design policy shall 
be formulated to guide our design and creative industries on the road to making the Philippines the 
"design hub" of Asia. 
An additional point in favor of the Design Council Initiative is the fact that design is 
crucial in strengthening and marketing the distinctive "branding" of a country. Design should 
therefore be the key element to the country's research and innovation strategy. The Philippines 
would enormously benefit from this in the promotion of its products and services to the 
world. 
We should not let the creativity, skills and talents of our people go to waste. The 
establishment of the Design Council of the Philippines will ensure that creativity and 
innovation will be applied to achieving genuine national progress. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment of this me 
eamestly sought. 
Senator 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) 
SECOND REGULAR SESSION 
) 
'11 
AUG -9 
n1n '00 
lliv' 
SENATE 
S.B.No. 2930 
REI.'E' '/l<H By:.0-
Introduced by Senator TEOFISTO "TG" GUINGONA III 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE DESIGN COUNCIL OF THE PHILIPPINES, DEFINING ITS 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the HOllse of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Design Council of the 
Philippines Act of20ll." 
SECTION 2.Statement of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
prioritize, strengthen, and promote a design-driven economy by investing on our creative capital. 
The State shall also endeavor to develop the Philippines as the "design hub" of Asia. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For pUlposes of this Act, the following terms shall 
mean: 
A) "Design" - shall refer to the product of creativity and innovation. It shall also mean the 
problem-solving mechanism that fuses art, culture, business, science and technology 
towards the paramount purpose of improving the quality ofhUlllan life; 
B) "Design Industry" - shall refer to a sector of the Creative Industry which is chiefly 
dedicated to the following endeavors: (1) Environmental Design; (2) Industrial, Product, 
and Fashion Design; (3) Advertising and Visnal COllllllUllications Design; and (4) 
Software Design; and 
C) "Mapping" - shall mean identifYing individuals, corporations, partnerships, associations, 
and other informal groups 
working in design-related industries; categorizing their 
services and competencies; finding their respective locations in the country; quantifying 
their potential for inducing socio-economic growth; evaluating design-related challenges, 
needs and issues; and determining how each could contribute to the design-driven 
economy of the country. 
D) "Designer" - shall refer to all individual or group of individuals, who generates new 
ideas (creativity), successfully exploits these new ideas (innovation), and utilizes design 
as a strategic tool to link the two. 
SECTION 4. The Design Council of the Philippines. - The Design Council of the 
Philippines, hereinafter referred to as the Design Conncil, is hereby established to provide clear 
and positive direction towards harnessing and advanCing the conntry's design-driven economy. 
SECTION 5. Purpose and Objectives of the Design Council. - The Design Council shall 
promote and develop the design industry of the Philippines by developing, through relevant 
consultations with stakeholders, a National Design Policy, hereinafter referred as NDP, for the 


Philippines. Likewise, the Design Council is tasked to ensure the proper implementation of the 
NDP. 
In fulfilling the NDP, the Design Council will undertake consultations with stakeholders 
in the design industry, and relevant govemment agencies such as, but not limited to, the National 
Economic Development Agency (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DT!). 
SECTION 6. V,e National Design Policy. - The NDP shall be the state's strategy to 
launching and sustaining an innovation-driven and design-savvy nation. The NDP shall be 
crafted in such a way to achieve the following national goals: 
(a) To expand the design cultnre nationwide; 
(a. 1.) To create a demand and an appreciation for good design not only among citizens, 
but also within govemment institutions 
(a.2) To conceive effective and sustainable design-related promotional strategies that take 
social, environmental and economic considerations into account 
(b) To propagate design as problem-solving; 
(b.\) To conceive effective and sustainable design-related strategies to drive economic 
growth (employment and trade) and social iImovation (sustainability, efficiency, access) 
(b.2) To establish mentoring and support system to introduce the process and the benefits 
of the strategic use of good design in business administration, commerce, trade, 
enterprises, as well as government administration 
(b.3) To make government invest in good design 
(e) To boost competitiveness ofthe Filipino Design Industry; 
(c.\) To build capabilities of Filipino designers by improving design education 
(c.2) To establish programs & events that will continually challenge designers' 
capabilities, i.e. competitions help govenunent solve challengeslissues that could benefit 
from design thinking 
(c.3) To establish networks & resources for knowledge exchange, capability development 
& content creation on design 
(c.4) To provide more avenues for Filipino designers to showcase their talent locally & 
Internationally 
(c.5) To create a demand for good design 
(c.6) To increase the country's design capacity by creating opportunities for design 
education and design research, and by creatiIlg and investing on infrastructure and 
tec1U1ology to snpport design 
(c.8) To promote the growth, professionalization and globalization of the Filipino Design 
Industry 
(d) To build a strong National Identity; and 
(e) Other goals analogous to the foregoing. 
SECTION 7. Powers and Functions of the Council - The Design Council shall exercise 
the following powers and functions in order to carry out its mandate: 
(a) Create the National Design Policy of tJle Philippines, which will be integrated into 
government policies to achieve national development; 
(b) Coordinate, monitor, and assess the implementation of the NDP, and, when necessary, 
recommend appropriate adjustments thereon in the light of changing conditions in both 
the domestic and iIlternational environment; 
(c) Conduct a comprehensive mapping of individnals or groups working in the design and 
creative industries in conjunction with a comprehensive mapping of their needs. 
(d) Design a mentoring and support system for individuals, corporations, partnerships or 
associations, particularly Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), who want to 


benefit from the strategic use of good design in business administration, commerce, trade 
and other enterprises; 
(e) Initiate design-led projects and competitions for the private sector to help government 
solve socioeconomic challenges; 
(f) To raise greater public awareness and appreciation of the socioeconomic value of good 
design through exhibitions, among others; 
(g) Establish networks and resources for knowledge exchange, capability development and 
content creation on design; 
(b) Recommend to Congress any proposed legislation that would contribute to advancement 
of design; and 
(i) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary, incidental or proper to its 
mandate. 
SECTION 8. Composition of the Design Council - The members of the Design Council 
shall be composed of twelve (12) design practitioners and two (2) representatives from the 
Design Academe. A set of two (2) design practitioners shall each represent the following six (6) 
sectors of the Design Industry, namely: I) Visual Communications; (2) Information Design; (3) 
New Media & Technology; and (4) Fashion Design; (5) Industrial Design; and (6) 
Environmental Design; while the Education & Training sector of the Design Industry will be 
represented by two (2) representatives ofthe Design Academe. 
The Secretary of Trade and Industry and one (1) representative from the aforementioned 
fourteen (14) members shall be Co-Chairs of the Design Council. 
The co-chair chosen from the fourteen (14) members shall be ex officio Chief Design 
Officer, who will head the design strategy across thc Design Council's various projects. 
SECTION 9. Term of service - All fourteen (14) members of the Design COlIDcil shall 
be appointed by the President of the Philippines, with a term of six (6) years. 
SECTION 10. Domicile of tire Design Council. - The principal office of the Design 
Council shall be established in Metro Manila, Philippines. 
SECTION l1.Advisory Board to the Design Council - The Advisory Board shall be 
composed of the heads of the following government agencies, who will act as such, during their 
tenure: 
(a) Department of Trade and Industry; 
(b) Department of Science and Technology; 
( c) Department of Labor and Employment; 
(d) Intellectual Property Office; 
(e) Department of Education; 
(f) Commission on Higher Education; 
(g) Technical Education and Skills Development Anthority; 
(h) Technology and Livelihood Research Center; 
(i) National Commission for the Cultw'e and the Arts; 
UJ Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines; 
(k) Center for International Trade, Expositions and Missions; and 
(I) National Economic Development Authority 
The Advisory Council shall also include one (I) representative from the business sector. 
He shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines, with a term of six (6) years. 
SECTION 12. Purpose and Objectives of the Advisory Board. - The Advisory Board 
would advise the Design Council on how to cultivate design into one of the key pillars of the 
country's socioeconomic growth. 


SECTION 13. Powers alld FUllctiolls of the Advisory Board. - The Advisory Board 
shall exercise the following powers and [unctions: 
(a) Provide tl,e advice and insight essential to pm'suing the mandatc of the Design 
Council by collectively representing the views of the public sector; 
(b) To serve as the forum for synthesizing problems and recommendations of common 
interest to the Design commlmity in general; 
(c) Provide leadership and guidance on how the government could achieve the NDP; 
(d) Promulgate government regulations relevant to the implementation of the NDP; and 
(e) Provide advice and insight on how the business sector could capitalize on design and 
thereby contribute to the economy. 
SECTION 14. Secretariat. - The Design Conncil shall organize a Secretariat which shall 
report directly to it and shall be managed by two (2) Directors for Operations, onc representing 
the Design Council and the other representing the Advisory Board. 
SECTION 15. Annual Report. - The Design Council shall submit an annual report to 
Congress on the status of the implementation of tlris Act and the developments and significant 
achievements of the Design Council during the past year not later than December 31 of each 
year. 
SECTION. 16. Implementillg Rules alld Regulatiolls. - The Design Conncil shall issue 
and promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within thirty (30) days upon 
the approval of this Act. 
SECTION 17. Appropriations Clause. - The Design Conncil shall be provided with an 
initial appropriation of Thirty Million Philippine pesos (PhP30,OOO,OOO.OO) to be drawn from the 
national government. Appropriations for the succeeding years shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 18. Separability Clause. - If any provision or section of this Act or the 
application thereof to any person or circmnstance is held to be invalid, tlle other provisions or 
sections of this Act, and the application of such provision or section to other persons or 
circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 19. Repealillg Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
regulations, or parts thereof as are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, runended or 
modified accordingly. 
SECTION 20. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in the Official Gazelle or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,